Mothers Know Best
by LannisterLion91
Summary: With Litchfield but a distant memory, Alex and Piper spend their days raising their son and enjoying their freedom. A series of snapshots of Vauseman as mothers. OC
1. Chapter 1

Summer in New York was one of Alex's favorite things. Gone were the blustering winds that rolled through the streets off the East River. The days were longer, and a relaxed atmosphere settled over their Bay Ridge neighborhood.

Alex loved these long, hot days of summer. Her affinity for the season, she told herself, had nothing to do with how scant Piper's clothing got this time of year.

 _Mmm, Piper._

Alex yawned and rolled over in their bed. Without opening her eyes, she reached over to pull her wife's body against hers. Disappointment washed over her as her hand made contact with empty, cool sheets.

Blinking herself awake, she grabbed her glasses from the nightstand and padded down the hall where she figured she would find the blonde.

Though she knew what to expect on the other side, Alex's breath still caught when she pushed open the door to the nursery. Piper was slowly walking the length of the room, gently bouncing their infant son in her arms. The soft morning light filtered through the curtains on the windows, bathing both mother and son in an ethereal glow.

It was a tableau Alex had seen a dozen times since they first brought the boy home from the hospital. And yet, it was one that always shook Alex. She reached for the door frame, the nearest solid object, and squeezed. After all this time she needed proof. Proof that this life - this perfect life - was real.

Piper must have heard her then because she turned and greeted Alex with a heartbreakingly sweet smile.

"Morning," she whispered.

Alex crossed the room and kissed her wife gently. She ran her fingers lightly over the sandy-colored hair that dusted the sleeping boy's head.

"I didn't hear him on the monitor."

"He wasn't crying. I just missed him," Piper admitted sheepishly.

Alex smirked and kissed her wife's neck, causing goosebumps to erupt across the blonde's skin.

"And I missed you," Alex breathed into her ear.

"Al, we're having skin-to-skin time. It's very important for his development. Didn't you read the books I-."

Alex cut her off with a slow open-mouthed kiss.

"I think some skin-to-skin contact could lead to very interesting developments between us, too," she rasped, slipping her hand into her wife's tank top.

"Not in front of the baby!" Piper whisper-shouted, shoving Alex away.

Piper's protest was half-hearted and whispered through a barely contained smile. That smile that never failed to turn Alex's insides molten.

She pressed another quick kiss on Piper's jaw line before taking the baby and settling him in his crib.

"Sleep tight, kid. Mommies need some alone time."

Piper moved to her side, peering down at the boy.

"Your mom is like a horny teenager, Dane. I hope you aren't like this when you grow up," the blonde joked.

At the sound of the his name, Alex bent down to plant one more gentle kiss on their son's head. Piper had insisted they name him after Diane, Alex's late mother, and Dane seemed like a good fit. Every time they said it, it was like a little reminder of her.

 _I hope I'm half the mother she was, kid. For both our sakes_.

Piper cleared her throat.

"You mentioned something about skin-to-skin contact," she said.

Alex spun around, drawn by the need in her wife's voice. She was met with Piper's blue-eyed gaze, boring into her expectantly.

She rushed forward and grabbed the blonde's hand, pulling her toward their bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

****A/N - Thanks so much for the reviews, everyone. This story has been plaguing me for months, and I knew if I didn't get it out, I would never get anything done. I'll keep it going as long as I can. All reviews welcome! ****

As Alex drove her little family down the familiar road on the New England coast, she couldn't help but feel nervous. This was a drive she often took alone, and having Piper and their gurgling two-year-old with her this time did little to quell her nerves.

It wasn't that Alex didn't want them there. In fact, she dreaded any time she had to spend away from them. But visiting her mother's grave always reminded Alex of the deep loss she felt. It made her deeply sad, and she didn't want her wife or her son to see her like that.

"Hey," Piper's voice broke through Alex's thoughts.

The raven-haired woman glanced away from the road to look at her wife. She tried to smile, but Alex felt it come across as more of a grimace.

Piper reached for her hand over the center console and squeezed, causing the muscles in Alex's shoulders to relax.

They rode in silence for the short remainder of the trip.

When Alex parked the car on the narrow gravel path closest to her mother's gravesite, she hesitated. Piper had already climbed out to unbuckle Dane from his car seat, but Alex had to pry herself from behind the wheel.

As she climbed from the car, she was met by Piper coming around the back. The blonde bounced the toddler on her hip a few times, causing him to erupt in a fit of giggles.

"Let's go see Mom, Dane," Piper said before imitating airplane noises and gently tossing the boy into Alex's ready arms.

Dane was wearing a baby-sized black, AC-DC band tee. They had been one of Diane's favorites. He was also clutching a small, foam electric guitar - his favorite toy.

Alex snuggled him closer to her chest, and Piper slipped an arm around her waist. Her family was with her, and it gave Alex the strength she needed for the day.

"Let's go," she said.

They didn't have to walk far before they came upon her mother's plot. Piper replaced the old, dead bouquet in the headstone's vase with the flowers they had brought with them before stepping back to give Alex space.

With Dane still held close, Alex knelt in front of the headstone.

"Hi, Mom," Alex started a little self-consciously. "You know Piper, but there's someone special we wanted you to meet today."

Alex set her son on his wobbly legs in front of the grave.

"This is our son Dane. Now before you start in on how we should have named him Jagger or Axl or something like that, he's named for you, Mom."

Alex sat down fully on the grass.

"Dane, this is _my_ mom. Her name was Diane, and she would have spoiled you rotten, kid."

"Like you don't already do enough of that," Piper teased, sitting on the grass beside her.

The little boy slipped away from his mother's grip, and Alex started to go after him, but Piper held her in place.

They watched as Dane cautiously approached the headstone. He placed a tentative hand on it and stared intently at the inscription he couldn't yet read. After a moment, he dropped his toy guitar on the base and wrapped both arms as best he could around the stone.

Alex felt tears sting her eyes, but she blinked rapidly. She didn't want anything obstructing the sight in front of her. Piper, on the other hand, was sniffling without reserve next to her.

"Mama," Dane said, turning to look at Piper.

"Yeah, baby?"

"I'm hungry."

Alex stood, pulling Piper to her feet.

"He'll be okay for a little while longer, Al. We don't have to go right now."

Alex looked down once more at her mother's grave. The old ache was still there, but seeing Diane's namesake standing in front of it had taken the sharp sting away. She leaned forward and kissed Piper.

"Let's go get something to eat." Pulling back with a smirk, she whispered, "And then maybe I'll have you for dessert."

Alex's grin grew as a flush overtook her wife's face.

"Come on, kiddo," Piper said when she'd recovered.

The blonde bent down and their sandy-headed little boy went running into her arms. They started toward the car before Alex gripped Piper's arm suddenly, halting them.

"Wait, Dane," she said, "You forgot your guitar."

"No, it's for Grandma," he replied matter-of-factly.

The tears were back, and this time, Alex let them fall. She leaned over and kissed her son's forehead.

"I'm sure she loves it, bud" Alex said.

She wrapped her arm around Piper, and the three of them returned to the car. And as they pulled out, Alex didn't feel the usual guilt she felt when she left her mother's grave.

This was the life her mother always wanted for her, and she intended to enjoy every second of it.

It wasn't that Alex didn't want them there. In fact, she dreaded any time she had to spend away from them. But visiting her mother's grave always reminded Alex of the deep loss she felt. It made her deeply sad, and she didn't want her wife or her son to see her like that.


	3. Chapter 3

Piper loved her life. For all she had endured, it had turned out more perfect than she imagined. But as grateful as she was for that life, she dreaded the third Sunday of every month.

Somewhere through the years Carol Chapman had gotten sentimental. She had demanded that her children and grandchildren gather at the Chapman's Connecticut home for Sunday brunch and dinner every three weeks.

As Piper watched the highway blur by, she silently cursed her older brother, Danny, for living far enough away to be excused from the miserable tradition.

Piper had one of her hands resting on the middle console, and Alex took one hand off the wheel to hold it.

"We can always say the kid is sick," Alex said.

"But I'm not sick," came Dane's small but mighty voice from the backseat.

Piper twisted in her seat to smile at the four-year-old. As she studied his features - the big, blue eyes, the sandy blonde hair trimmed in his first "big boy haircut," the pink lips that had learned to form a smirk just like Alex's - she squeezed her wife's hand. If this - her family - was her reward, she would take the punishment of a day with Carol.

As they pulled up the sprawling home, Piper was in a better mood. She hugged and kissed Cal, Neri, and their kids while Alex freed Dane from his car seat.

No sooner had Alex set him on the ground before he was off chasing after his cousins. The little boy, though younger than the other children, nearly matched them in height.

The adults made their way through the house to the kitchen where Carol was overseeing the cook and sipping on a glass of white white.

"Piper, you finally made it. Late as usual but at least you're here." Carol gave a tight nod to the raven-haired woman next to her daughter. "Alex."

"Carol," Alex replied.

The exchange didn't bother Piper. The two had never warmed up to each other, but at least there was no more hostility as there had been in the beginning.

"Where is my grandson?" Bill Chapman called as he entered the room.

He was carrying a children's New York Giants jersey with VAUSEMAN - the nickname the women had decide to take as their married names - and the number 51 printed on the back.

"Hi Daddy," Piper said, genuinely happy to see her father.

Bill brushed a kiss on his daughter's cheek and shook Alex's hand.

"A bit early for a jersey, Bill. We don't even know what position the kid will play," Alex joked.

"Nonsense. Have you seen the size of that boy? He'll be a linebacker just like his grandpa. See?" He said, holding up the jersey proudly. "I even had them put my old number on it."

"He'll love it, Dad."

Carol, hating to be outdone, clanged her nail against her wine glass to get everybody's attention.

"Shall we move this outside?"

Alex and Piper lingered behind everyone else as they shuffled out to the back patio.

"You know," Alex whispered in her ear, "We still have plenty of time before the food is ready. Want to visit your old room?"

Piper made sure her signature smile was in place before she turned and wrapped her arms around her wife's waist. She pulled her close so she could hear the sharp exhalation of breath that never failed to escape Alex's lips when Piper unleashed her megawatt smile.

"You would leave our son to fend for himself among my family?"

Alex sprung into action. She began to search the kitchen melodramatically before she snatched up a long chopping knife from the counter and wielded it like a prehistoric warrior.

"Let's go," she urged in her caveman voice. "Must protect young one from WASP clan."

Piper shook her head, still grinning. She had known this woman for nearly a quarter of a century, and they had been together for over half of that time. Yet, life with Alex was never boring.

She held out her hand and waited as Alex ditched the knife and intertwined their fingers. Together, they joined the others in the backyard.

This was one of those Sundays where Piper wasn't miserable with her family. Cal and Neri had been roped into a game of Go Fish! with Bill and Carol. But Piper had gotten she and Alex out of it by offering to keep an eye on the kids while they bounced between games of tag and coloring at the kids' table.

Now, she sat close to her wife on the built-in porch swing, allowing the taller woman to push them slowly back and forth.

"Can we have a porch swing when we grow up?" she purred into Alex's ear.

The dark-haired woman pulled her closer and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips.

"Are you saying you want a porch?"

"Maybe someday," Piper shrugged. "Why trade the fast life of parenting in the city for the dull drag of suburban parenting before we have to?"

Alex smirked and Piper leaned up to kiss her again.

Carol cleared her throat and the women pulled apart to see her standing before made room on the swing for her.

"How are things in the city?" she asked.

"Really great, mom. Alex's bookstore was featured in _The Village Voice_ last week."

"Well, it's not exactly _The Times_ but congratulations."

"And PoPi sold out of three lines last week," Alex added proudly.

"You'll send my love to Polly?" Carol replied.

Alex and Piper made eye contact across the swing and rolled their eyes.

"How is Dane doing?"

The couple glanced down at their son, now clad in the jersey his grandfather had given him.

"He's doing well," Piper said, smiling proudly at the boy.

"You know what I mean, Piper. Does he have many friends? Does he seem...normal?"

"Normal?" Piper asked.

Alex reached across the swing and lightly gripped her shoulder in an attempt to calm her rising temper.

"What do you mean 'normal,' Mom?"

Bill and the others glanced up warily from their card game.

"You know…does he seem…straight to you?"

"Does our four-year-old son seem straight?" Piper repeated slowly.

"Pipes…" Alex cautioned.

"You two must understand," Carol continued without hesitation. "He needs male influences. I know you've always had a healthy dose of testosterone, Piper, but you and Alex aren't enough for him."

Piper felt her rage color her skin, but the pressure from her wife's hand on her shoulder increased and she kept quiet.

Before anyone had a chance to speak again, Dane calmly glanced up from where he and his cousins were coloring.

"You know, Grandma, you're kind of a bitch."

The little boy's blue eyes were narrowed as he locked gazes with his stunned grandmother for a brief moment before returning to his drawing.

Bill nearly choked on his iced tea, and Neri leaped up to pat him on the back. Cal was staring at his nephew as if the boy had just freed them all from an evil tyrant who had held them prisoner for years.

Carol, needless to say, was speechless. Before she could recover, Piper rushed over to Dane and swept him up in her arms.

"We'll see you all in three weeks," she heard Alex's mirth-filled voice tell her family behind her.

Further down the road and with the Chapman house out of view. Piper seemed to come out of her shock. She glanced over at her wife and saw that the woman was nearly vibrating with suppressed laughter. Piper slapped her half-heartedly on the arm.

"Al, come on. Do you think we should punish him?"

"Punish him?" Alex whispered back. "I want to kiss him."

Piper continued to stare at her wife before the darker-haired woman finally sighed. She glanced back at the boy in the rearview mirror.

"Hey, kid," Alex called.

Dane glanced up from his book.

"I think we both know that you're not allowed to use that word you called Grandma, huh?"

"You and Mommy say it," he retorted.

"Right but it's one of those adult words we talked about. Sometimes words can hurt, and you have to be careful when you use them. Got it?"

The little boy nodded, suddenly looking very guilty about the possibility of hurting his grandmother.

"So, from now on let's not say that word."

"Except maybe when Grandma deserves it," Piper added, a smile finally breaking across her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Alex glanced down at the six-year-old walking by her side. He looked more grown up than Alex was ready for. His usual "bed head" style haircut was neatly combed, and he was dressed in a suit that already seemed too small for him - despite it having been fitted at the beginning of the summer.

That morning, Alex had stood by while Piper straightened Dane's tie and told them both to be on their best behavior.

"When are we not?" Alex stated, feigning offense before winking at the kid.

Piper just looked at her with pleading eyes. Today was the interview for Dane's admission into the local private school, and it meant a lot to her.

Their son had attended public school for Kindergarten, but during the year, the couple had decided that they wanted to move him to one of the more progressive local private schools for first grade and beyond.

They decided this after the boy was sent home with a note from the principal about how he had been in a fight with several of his classmates that were making fun of his two moms.

As she and Dane walked together now, she wished Piper was with them. She was always better at formal events than Alex, and the raven-haired woman knew it killed Piper not to be there with them.

But she and Polly had a meeting in Manhattan with a beauty box subscription service that wanted to include PoPi products in its monthly shipments. It would be a big contract, and Alex had told Piper not to worry. She could handle this.

 _She_ could _handle this, right?_

The school looked more like a mansion than a place of learning to Alex, but what did she know? Her schools had never been this nice. They were buzzed in through the frosted glass doors, and a cheerful woman in her mid 60s greeted them.

"You must be the Vausemans," she said with the hint of an accent Alex couldn't quite place. "I'm Mrs. Beaumont. Welcome to the Drighton School."

"For Gifted Youngsters," Dane whispered under his breath when the woman turned away to check them in.

The boy began mimicking Wolverine from _X-Men_. He was so unabashedly a dork sometimes, and it reminded Alex so much of Piper that she couldn't help but laugh.

Fortunately, mother and son were able to recuperate themselves, fulfilling their promise to behave, by the time Mrs. Beaumont turned back around to begin their tour.

 **[A Little Later]**

"Do you have any questions?" Mrs. Beaumont asked as the rounded the last hallway.

"I'm sure my wife will have at least a million, but she has your email," Alex said.

The woman shifted uncomfortably.

"Mrs. Vauseman, may I have a word with you," she shot a glance at Dane, "in private."

Alex shrugged and gestured for Mrs. Beaumont to lead the way. They walked a little up the hallway, seemingly out of earshot from the boy.

"You don't seem like the kind of woman who likes her time wasted, so I'll just get right to it. While Dane's Kindergarten grades, projectile testing, and references were all very impressive, The Drighton School has a very strict reputation to uphold."

Alex waited, not understanding. Mrs. Beaumont drew a large breath and pushed on.

"Some of our more...faith-focused donors have expressed their concerns about Dane's...upbringing."

It finally clicked.

"So, they're worried about a couple of dykes joining the PTA board," Alex half-yelled. "You're not even going to interview him? He practiced for days."

Color flooded Mrs. Beaumont's face.

"I didn't say that, Mrs. Vauseman. I was merely giving you fair warning as to what you and your son may have to deal with if you choose The Drighton School."

"Duly noted. Thanks," Alex replied flatly.

"If you'll excuse me…" Mrs. Beaumont slipped by Alex and placed a hand on Dane's shoulder. "Ready for your interview, young man?"

Dane glanced down the hallway with a worried expression. Alex quickly recomposed herself and shot him an encouraging "rocker hand." He returned the gesture quickly before allowing Mrs. Beaumont to guide him into an empty classroom.

Alex paced, chewing on her finger nails for no more than five minutes before Mrs. Beaumont burst out of the classroom and toward Alex. Her expression made it clear that she was either about to explode in anger or burst into tears.

"Mrs. Vauseman, I am sorry to inform you that we have chosen not continue with your son's admittance process. You may see yourselves out. Thank you."

Without another word, she retreated into her office. Alex glanced back down the hallway, where her son was leaning on the door frame with his hands tucked into his suit pants.

"What happened?" Alex asked, kneeling down in front of him.

"First, I want to make a deal."

"...okay," Alex replied slowly.

"I want immunity. No grounding. No taking my bike. _No_ extra chores. Deal?"

"Keep talking," Alex said, fighting back a smile.

"Mrs. Beaumont asked me why I was leaving my other school, and I told her the truth. She said some of the kids here might say the same things, and she wanted to know if people making fun of my parents for not being straight would bother me."

"And?"

The boy hesitated, looking down at his dress shoes.

"Dane," Alex pressed.

"So I asked her if people making fun of her for her teeth not being straight bothered her."

Alex had to clap a hand over her mouth and turn away to prevent the boy from seeing her nearly burst into laughter. Dane mistook her action for disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Mom."

"Don't be, kid. We'll find some place even better. Someplace without small-minded, snaggletooth hags in charge."

Alex stood and guided the boy out of the immaculately clean school and into the smoggy Brooklyn air. They walked in silence for awhile. Alex was trying to imagine her son, in his finest clothes, serving Mrs. Beaumont exactly what she deserved. God, she wished she was in the room. She couldn't wait to tell Piper this story later that night.

 _Piper._

"You know your mother is going to kill us, right?"

Dane shrugged and smirked in perfect imitation of his raven-haired mother.

"Guess we ought to enjoy our last meal, then. What'll it be?" Alex asked, already knowing the answer.

"Shake Shack!" They said in unison, causing them to break out in laughter.

"We should probably bring your mom something, huh? Even if she is going to kill us."

"She'd probably forgive us if we brought her a burger," Dane replied easily. "Especially if it's grilled with tomato and melted cheese on a potato roll."

It was Piper's favorite order, and the boy knew it by heart. Alex draped an arm around Dane's shoulders, tugging him close to her side as they walked the few blocks to the restaurant.

"Better throw in a milkshake, too. Just to be safe."


	5. Chapter 5

*****A/N: Hey, guys! Thanks for all the great reviews. It's seriously cool to read your reactions. That being said, I have about five more ideas I want to do with this story, but I am happy to take requests for any ideas you guys want to see done. Just message me! *****

After shutting off the alarm clock, Piper rolled out of bed and changed into her running clothes. She planted a kiss on her wife's lips, earning her a grunt in response.

"Go 'way," Alex murmured into the pillow.

 _"Ever the morning person,"_ thought Piper sarcastically.

She kissed Alex once more to tease her before heading down the hallway to their son's room.

"Dane," she called at his door.

When she got no response, she opened the door. His bed was made and the athletic shoes he usually kept by his door were missing. Piper pulled out her cell phone and hurriedly typed out a message.

 **Piper:** Where are you?

His response was quick.

 **Dane:** Gym

Piper took the elevator down to their building's gym and found the eleven-year-old drenched in sweat at one of the weight machines.

"You know you're not supposed to leave the apartment without telling your mom or me. And you shouldn't be using this equipment without one of us here," she scolded.

The boy gently racked the loaded weight bar and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"I didn't want to wake you guys. I just needed to get in a few circuits today."

Dane was "in training," as he put it. He had explained to Piper that his goal was to make first string on the football team when he entered middle school the next year. It was an idea Piper was sure her father helped develop, but she was proud of her son's commitment.

"Still want to join me on my run?" She asked.

"Definitely! I need to get some cardio in."

Piper rolled her eyes. Dane had been accompanying Piper's on her runs since he was much younger, but it had just been for fun then.

"Why don't we just try to enjoy it?" She suggested as she waited for her son to relace his shoes.

"Sure, Mama." He glanced up at her with Alex's smirk. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to race you to the Lafayette monument on the last lap."

Piper shrugged, playing nonchalant.

"I would be worried if I didn't beat you every time."

Dane scoffed. "Oh, it's on now."

It was a chilly day the city, but that didn't stop Piper and Dane from making an extra lap around Prospect Park after the boy had beaten his mother in their race. They both had a deep love for running.

When they finally came to a stop, both were drenched in sweat despite the Autumn air. They popped into the local cafe, and Piper bought two coffees for herself and Alex and a chocolate milk for Dane.

"You know, your mom's birthday is tomorrow," she said as they walked the long route back to the apartment.

Dane finished his chocolate milk, jumpshotted the empty carton into a nearby trash can, made a "crowd cheering" noise, and high-fived his smiling mother before answering.

"What's our game plan?" he asked.

"I don't know. It's a big one, but Mom will hate it if we make her feel old."

"What about a prison theme?" Dane joked "You know, to bring back memories of the good old days."

Piper swatted playfully at her son, but he dodged it.

"No, think about! We could do, like, orange and black streamers, a cake that looks like the 'Get Out of Jail Free' card from Monopoly. What'd you think?"

Piper knew the boy loved teasing her almost as much as Alex did.

"Very funny," she retorted dryly. "How many birthdays have you waited to make that joke?"

Dane just smirked, and Piper pulled him into a playful headlock before looping her arm through his. At 11 years old, he was nearly as tall as she was, and it continued to shock her how fast he was growing.

"You're probably right, though," he said finally. "She's not going to like it if we make her feel old."

"So, let's make her feel young again."

"How?"

"What were some of your favorite things to do when you were littler?"

Dane thought for a moment.

"I always loved when Uncle Cal would take me to the circus upstate when you and Mom would go away for the weekend. The Dirtbike Death Cage was my favorite!" he exclaimed, reminding Piper that he was still a little boy despite his grown up demeanor and height

"I don't think Mom's ever been to the circus," Piper told him. "She once told me she always thought it would have been cool to go, but Grandma never had enough money to take her."

They thought for a moment, sharing the same determined expression that overtook them when they had found a worthy cause.

"I got it!" they said in unison.

"Circus theme?" Piper asked.

"Definitely!" Dane agreed.

 **[The Next Morning]**

Piper was awake long before Alex began to stir. She had texted Polly to let her know that she wouldn't be coming into their workshop that day, and upon Dane's solemn promise that he would not be missing any important assignments or tests, she had called him out of school for the day.

She and her son were now rushing about the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

"Something smells good," Alex said as she entered the room.

Piper met her halfway and kissed her soundly before adjusting the collar on the polo that was emblazoned with her bookshop's logo.

"Have a seat," she said, practically forcing the taller woman into a stool at the kitchen island.

Dane brought forth a plate with two over easy eggs, bacon, and fruit, all arranged to look like a happy face.

"Her idea," he said, gesturing to the plate arrangement and flicking his head at Piper. "Happy birthday, Mom."

"Happy birthday, baby."

"Thanks, guys," Alex said with a genuine smile.

When Alex finished her food, Piper and Dane practically shoved her out the door, calling to her to have a good day at work. Alex cocked an eyebrow at their weird behavior but didn't thankfully didn't press the matter.

After she had gone, the mother/son duo set to work.

 **[Later That Day]**

"I think we're all set," Piper said, admiring their work.

She and Dane high fived just before they heard the key in the lock. Dane leaped over the couch to stand by iHome speakers while Piper quickly lit the candles on the cake they had made from iced circus cookies.

As Alex entered and tossed her bag down by the door, the boy hit "Play" and circus music filled the room. Piper and Dane's blue eyes twinkled as they watched the raven-haired woman take in the sight before her.

There was a section setup with homemade carnival-style games and a corner filled with balloons. Piper and Dane had even gone to the storage unit to drag out his old baby gates and stuffed animals to make a "petting zoo."

The grin on Alex's face widened.

"What is all this?" she asked quietly.

"Mama said you always wanted to go to the circus, so for your birthday, we brought the circus to you. I built the ring toss myself."

"It looks great, kid," Alex beamed.

Piper stepped forward with the cake.

"Make a wish."

Alex winked at Dane, shut her eyes for a moment, and then blew out the candles with ease. She took the cake from Piper and set it on the counter before pulling her family into a tight embrace.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Got your stuff?" Piper asked Dane, still holding Alex close.

The boy nodded, already heading for the door. He picked up his overnight bag from where it had been waiting by the door and slung across his shoulders.

"Who's that?" Alex asked.

"It must be Nicky. She agreed to let Dane stay with her and Lorna for the night, so you could unwrap your gift."

"And what is that?" Alex asked with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Piper looked over Alex's shoulder to make sure the door had closed behind Dane and their wild-haired friend before answering.

"Me," she breathed, dragging Alex toward their bedroom.

"Look at that," Alex rasped. "My wish is already coming true."


	6. Chapter 6

New York in the spring was usually a beautiful sight. This week, however, had brought nothing but rain. It was Dane's Spring Break, but the whole Vauseman family had been stuck at home together for the last few days when the subway entrance closest to them had flooded.

Parking was a nightmare in the city and it was always impossible to get a cab in the rain. So rather than fight it, Piper had been working from home and Alex had left the bookstore in the care of a trusted employee who lived just up the block from it.

It had been a lazy few days, and that day Piper was awoken from her nap by the sound of Dane laughing at something he was watching on TV. With a yawn, she slipped out of her position as Alex's "little spoon" on the couch and snuggled up next to her son on the oversized armchair across the room.

"Whatcha watching?" she asked.

" _Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade_."

It was the boy's favorite movie. He had watched it so much in his 12 years of life that his mothers had been forced to buy several replacement DVDs when the others became too worn down to play.

Piper studied him as he watched the film. His plump baby face was changing, slimming into the high curved cheekbones, strong chin, and angled jaw he inherited from her. As her son brought his hand up to absently scratch that newly emerging jawline, Piper noted for the first time that there was a considerable amount of facial hair present.

"I can feel you staring at me," Dane said in a voice that showed the first signs of deepening.

Piper pulled him closer and tried to focus on the movie. After a few moments, her eyes gaze slipped back to her son. She watched him as he watched the movie.

" _Oh yeah, and who's gonna come to save you, Junior?!_ " Sean Connery shouted on screen.

" _I told you don't call me 'Junior'!_ " Harrison Ford shouted back.

A smile crept across Dane's face and a thought occurred to Piper. This was the boy's favorite movie, and it focused heavily on Indiana Jones' relationship with his father.

"Why do you like this movie so much?" Piper asked.

Dane shrugged.

"I guess I've seen it so many times that watching it feels like visiting an old friend. Plus, lots of Nazi killing," he added with the glowing eyes of an action addict.

Piper nodded, unsure how to press on. After a moment, Dane sighed and slipped out of her cuddle.

"I can feel you thinking, and it's really disrupting my viewing experience."

"Do you ever feel like you're missing out?" Piper asked.

'What do you mean?"

"Not having a father," Piper forced herself to say. "Do you ever feel like you miss out on anything?"

Dane looked surprised. He thought for a moment, scratching at the reddish hairs along his jaw and upper lip.

"I don't know. I guess I never really thought about it that much, you know? Some of my friends' dads coach their teams or give them advice about girls, but Grandpa and my trainers have been a better coaches than any of those guys. And who better to ask _about_ girls than _two girls_ who _like girls_? Seems like a no-brainer."

Piper nodded silently. Dane tapped a finger on the crease between her brows.

"You have your worried face on. It's stressing me out."

"You'd tell me if you ever felt like you were missing out, though?"

"Mama," Dane chided, "I'm good. Between you and Mom, you'd think I was showing signs of depression or something."

"Hmm?"

"When Mom traded our concerts tickets for tickets to the Yankees spring game last week, I knew something was up. Mom hates sports, but she pretended to care the whole game even though I could actually see her counting down the minutes until we could leave," Dane laughed. "On the way home she asked if I would have rather gone with Grandpa or Uncle Cal."

Piper smiled at Alex's sleeping form.

"We just want to make sure you're okay."

"Trust me when I say I'm better off than most of the kids in my class."

Dane scratched his chin again, growling in frustration.

"I _do_ wish that someone would show me how to shave these goddamn hairs off my face, though. They're killing me!"

"Language," Piper scolded distractedly.

Dane apologized and went back to watching the movie. Piper kissed the top of his head and excused herself to her bedroom, taking her iPad with her. She settled back on the bed and pulled up the Internet browser.

 **[A Little Later]**

When Piper reemerged, Dane's movie had ended and he was in the kitchen making himself a snack.

"If your mom wakes up, tell her I just ran to the bodega. I'll be back in 15 minutes or so."

Dane took a large bite of his sandwich and saluted.

 **[That Afternoon]**

Piper entered the apartment, tossed her keys on the counter, and went in search of her son. She found him in the living room, reading one of the books he'd been assigned for his Honors English class. Alex, as expected, was still fast asleep on the couch.

"Hey, meet me in your bathroom in five minutes," Piper said.

Dane glanced up with a smirk. "That's a weird request."

But Piper was already down the hall and didn't hear him. Dane waited the full five minutes before setting his book aside and padding to his bathroom.

Piper was ready for him. She had spread two towels across the counter. Atop one of the towels was a new can of shaving cream for sensitive skin, a brand new men's razor, a small bottle of tea tree oil after shave, and a tube of liquid bandage. On the other towel, she had placed a dummy razor and her own can of women's shaving cream.

"Welcome to your first lesson, grasshopper," she said, bowing dramatically.

Dane laughed and picked up the men's razor excitedly. Piper instructed him to start by rinsing his face thoroughly with warm water. She followed suit.

"Alright, now let's lather up," she said, reaching for her can of shaving cream.

Dane was beaming as he grabbed his own. Mother and son spent longer than necessary building different beard shapes on their faces with the shaving cream and making faces at each other in the mirror.

When it finally came time to bring blade to skin, Dane hesitated. Piper nudged him with her elbow.

"Ready?"

He gripped the razor determinedly and followed Piper's instructions to make smooth strokes from top to bottom. Much to Piper's relief, he finished his face and jawline without a cut. As he started on his budding mustache, Piper leaned forward to supervise more closely.

"What's going on here?" Alex asked from the doorway. Her eyes were alight with humor at finding Piper covered in shaving cream.

Unfortunately, her sudden approach had startled their son, causing him to jerk his head toward the door without lifting the blade away from his upper lip.

His sharp intake of breath sent both Piper and Alex into action. Alex snatched the razor from his hand, and Piper wet a corner of her towel and applied it to the fresh cut.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," he assured them.

Dane reached for the razor, but Alex pulled it back.

"I don't know…"

"You want me to go back to school with half a mustache?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Piper and Alex laughed, relaxing. Piper nodded to her wife, and the raven-haired woman handed the razor back to their son.

He finished without further incident and rinsed away the remaining shaving cream. The boy allowed Piper to apply liquid bandage to the minor cut on his upper lip before he patted his skin with the after shave lotion.

Piper leaned over the sink to rinse her own face as Dane admired his work in the mirror.

"Looking good, kid," Alex said, draping an arm across his shoulders.

"This will make a great story for my date tomorrow," he stated.

Dane's announcement caused Piper to inhale water from the faucet. She began to cough and splutter, and Alex released their son to pat her on the back.

"Relax, Pipes. It was bound to happen eventually."

Piper coughed once more and sat down on the closed toilet seat with a wide-eyed expression.

"I think you finally broke your mom," Alex said with a smirk.

Piper recovered just enough to flip her off, causing her wife and son to erupt in a fit of laughter.


	7. Chapter 7

Alex was nearly vibrating with excitement. She and Piper were on their way to their annual weekend away. 48 hours with nothing but the two of them alone in the Chapman's Hamptons house. They only had one rule for the weekend: no electronics.

As usual, Nicky and Lorna were in charge of the apartment and keeping an eye on the 13-year-old boy who roamed its halls. They had access to the beach house's landline, but were given specific instructions not to call unless it was an emergency.

Between work and raising their son, Alex and Piper had very little time for just the two of them. And right now, it was all Alex could do to keep her hands on the wheel instead of on her wife.

They had grabbed brunch together at their favorite cafe that morning, and it was almost midday when they finally pulled into the seashell driveway of the home. Without waiting, Piper rushed into the house and disappeared. Alex knew she was headed straight for the water, and she prayed she had forgotten her swimsuit.

Motivated by the mental image, Alex quickly gathered up their luggage and brought it inside. She then followed the trail of Piper's clothes out the back door and to the water.

 **[That Night in Brooklyn]**

Nicky and Lorna were snuggled up on the couch, watching one of the Vausemans' many movies. Two empty pizza boxes were spread out on the coffee table before them. They had been craving Chinese, but after Lorna got in a shouting match with the man on the phone for not understanding her order, causing Nicky to take over and tell the guy to go fuck himself, the Vauseman's address was officially banned from the restaurant's delivery route.

Lorna had insisted on cooking for her wife and for Dane to make it up to them, but Nicky told her to take a break. Their kid was with Vinnie this weekend, so they were also on a bit of a vacation. Dane, after all, had always been the easiest kid to look after. Even as a newly minted teenager, he had been polite at dinner and had watched part of the movie with them before excusing himself to his room.

Nicky heard him strumming on his guitar behind the closed door and returned her attention to the remainder of the movie, comfortable in the knowledge that the boy was fine. As the credits began to roll, Nicky carefully moved away from the now-sleeping Lorna and began to clean up the mess from dinner.

She was grabbing a beer from the fridge when she heard a loud crash come from Dane's room. The guitar stopped, and Nicky started over to investigate. But when the music resumed, she shrugged it off and took her beer out to the fire escape to enjoy with a cigarette.

She watched the lights of Manhattan twinkle across the river as she finished her smoke. As she was about to head back inside, she heard a giggle come out of Dane's open window. A female giggle. Nicky crept along the fire escape and peered into the boy's room.

Sure enough, there was a pretty red-headed girl about Dane's age seated next to him on the edge of his bed. Nicky recognized her as the girl Dane had been seeing for awhile. Alex had told her that the girl lived in the apartment below them, and she and Dane had met one night when they were both out reading on their fire escapes.

Nicky's instincts told her that the kid's parents wouldn't want him alone in a room with his girlfriend, but it seemed harmless enough for Nicky. And after her time in Litchfield, she took privacy very seriously. The girl was only watching him with googly eyes as he strummed the guitar anyway.

Nicky backed away from the window quietly and went inside for another beer. She woke Lorna up with a kiss on her forehead.

"Wanna hear some juicy gossip?"

"Sure, hon," Lorna replied sleepily.

"The kid's got a girl in his room. She's real cute, too."

"Wait!" Lorna shot up. "Oh no. No no no. This is not okay."

Nicky pulled her back down.

"Would you relax? He's just playing the guitar for her. You know, real Prince Charming shit."

Lorna glanced toward Dane's room.

"I don't hear any guitar."

The smile faded from Nicky's face. It had gotten strangely quiet.

"You think we should…?"

"I most certainly do," Lorna said, nodding emphatically.

Together, they approached the boy's door. In addition to the heavy breathing they heard, there were the unmistakable sounds of two people making out.

Nicky looked at Lorna and flicked her eyebrows flirtatiously. Lorna slapped her arm before throwing open the door to the room.

"DANE ELI VAUSEMAN!" she shouted.

In the split second before Dane registered that he and his girlfriend were no longer alone in the room, Nicky saw him with his hand up the redhead's shirt while the pair furiously locked lips.

"What're you guys doing?" he spluttered, rolling away from the girl and off the bed.

"What are _you_ doing, mister?" Lorna replied loudly. "Young lady, I think you better head back downstairs for the night."

The redhead righted her clothes and hurried for the fire escape. Dane's tan skin was a shade darker in his embarrassed state, but he still met his godparents' eyes.

"I can explain," he started.

"Nah, kid, I don't really think that's necessary. Lorna and I are both very familiar with the mechanics of what we just witnessed."

"You know we're going to have to call your mothers."

Nicky almost laughed as she watched Dane turn on the charm to get himself out of the sticky situation. He was so like Piper. His already big blue eyes widened and filled with sadness, and he hung his head in order to appear contrite.

"You sure this isn't something we can keep to ourselves?"

Nicky tried to hide her smile, but Lorna was unmoved. She was already pulling out her cell phone.

And just like that, Dane's demeanor changed. He stood up straight, folded his arms across his chest, and cocked an eyebrow.

"Alright look. Here's the deal," he said. "You don't tell my moms that I had Cara in here, and I don't tell them that you two got our address banned from their favorite Chinese place. What do you say?"

 _Whoa_ , Nicky thought. _Piper to Alex in no time flat._

It was no wonder the women were so enraptured with their son. He had inherited the parts they found most charming in each other.

Lorna hesitated but decided to go ahead and make the call. She stepped out of the room, and Nicky punched the kid playfully on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. Your mothers are very forgiving people. Look how many times they took each other back before they finally got their shit together."

"They've already had 'The Talk' with me. I don't really want to sit through it again."

"Yeah, but if there's one thing you should've learned growing up in this family, it's don't do the crime if you can't do the time."

 **[The Next Morning]**

Alex sighed as they approached their apartment door a day early. After the call from Lorna the previous night, Piper had wanted to drive straight home. Alex had convinced her to stay, but for as distracted as Piper had been, they might as well have come home that night.

When they walked through the door, they found Lorna at the kitchen sink doing the breakfast dishes while Nicky and Dane played cards in the living room. At the sight of his mothers, Dane's face reddened.

"Room. Now," Piper snapped at him.

The adults waited until Dane disappeared into his room before speaking. Piper thanked Nicky and Lorna for watching him and apologized for the trouble he caused.

"The kid's really no trouble," Nicky said in Dane's defense. "You probably didn't even need to cut your weekend short."

"We just thought you ought to know," Lorna added.

"No, we appreciate it. We'll take it from here."

From the look in Piper's eye, Alex almost felt bad for their son. She stepped aside as the other couple made their way to the door. Nicky paused in the doorway and hugged both Piper and Alex melodramatically.

"Mazel tov, Vauseman, you definitely got a straight one!"

Alex rolled her eyes and shoved their wild-haired friend out the door.

"Oh and uh," Nicky called over her shoulder as she and Lorna walked down the hall, "if the kid mentions anything about the Chinese place up the street, he's a dirty liar."


	8. Chapter 8

****A/N: I got a request to see more of Alex with baby Dane, so here you go! This chapter is for you folks. I'm still taking requests for chapter ideas, so fire them along if you have them.****

Alex had never been a fan of sports, mostly because they were a primitive display of dominance, but also because her mother had never been able to afford any of the equipment Alex would've needed to play them. She never saw herself as an athlete anyway.

And she _definitely_ never saw herself walking through the gates of a high school football arena, dressed in a matching sweater and scarf in the team's colors. However, as Alex settled in on the painfully uncomfortable bleachers next to her wife and in-laws, there was no place she'd rather be. Okay, she could do without the in-laws, but there would have been no stopping Bill Chapman from attending.

After all, it was Dane's first high school football game, and the kid had worked tirelessly to be the only freshman to suit up for varsity. Piper had taken at least a million pictures when he'd first brought his uniform home, and though Alex had joked and called him a jock, she was incredibly proud.

When the team took the field for warmups, Dane glanced up at the stands and found them. Piper stood up and waved enthusiastically and Alex whistled through her fingers. Both women laughed as Dane shook his head, pretending to be embarrassed.

Alex couldn't help but notice how small he looked next to the other players. He was tall enough, sure, but these boys had several more years of muscle development. At the moment, it didn't seem to matter that Dane had trained so hard. He was still the youngest player on the field.

Still, she kept quiet and wrapped an arm around Piper, who had snuggled close to escape the Autumn chill.

Dane's team won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half.

"'S'go, Vauseman!" Bill shouted as Dane hustled onto the field after the kickoff.

On the first play, the opposing quarterback landed a short pass, and the chains moved up the field. Alex saw her son clench and unclench his fists as the quarterback readied his team for the next play. This time when the ball was snapped, Dane was ready.

He blew past a blocker and collided hard with the quarterback, sending him to the ground five yards behind the line of scrimmage. At the sound of pads crunching together, Alex tensed, but Dane leapt to his feet to accept fist bumps and helmet slaps from his teammates.

Alex clutched Piper's hand as the next play unfolded. Dane was playing back in anticipation of a pass, and when the ball went into the air above his head, he leapt up and swatted it down, barely missing the opportunity for an interception.

"Good one, D!" Bill cheered. "Hold onto it next time."

When the teams finally jogged off the field for halftime, Alex felt less on edge. Dane was holding his own on the field. In fact, he seemed to have no problem keeping up with the older boys.

"Do you want anything from the concession stand?" Piper asked.

Alex nodded. Her mouth was dry from her nerves, and a water sounded amazing. They walked hand-in-hand to the line for refreshments.

A man wearing a warmup jacket and cap emblazoned with the Syracuse University logo stepped in line behind them. Alex happened to notice him eyeing the back of Piper's shirt, which was screen printed with their surname and Dane's number.

"Excuse me," he said, "Are you Dane Vauseman's mother? Number 51?"

Piper turned.

"Yes, that's my son."

"He's just a freshman, isn't he?"

"That's right," Piper said proudly.

"He's quite an athlete."

"Thank you, Mr….?"

"Mitchell. Scott Mitchell. And you are?"

"Piper."

They shook hands. Mitchell's gaze turned to Alex.

"And you're Vauseman's...?"

"Mom." Upon seeing the man's initial confusion, Alex wrapped an arm around Piper's waist and added, "His other one. You can call me Alex."

"Oh. _OH_ ," Mitchell said, finally putting the pieces together.

He reached out and shook Alex's hand as well.

"Nice to meet you both. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"Really?" Piper asked.

"I'm a scouting coach for Syracuse. I'll be here on and off all season looking at some of the older boys, but if your son continues to perform like he did tonight, don't be surprised when I come for him in a few years."

Whistles blew, signaling the start of the third quarter. Mitchell said a quick goodbye and jumped out of the concession line to return to his seat.

Alex waited with Piper as she purchased various drinks and snacks for herself, her wife, and her parents. The game had already resumed when they got back to their seats, and Bill looked anxious.

"The blockers are really gunning for him," he said with his eyes still glued to the field. "They aren't letting him do much."

Alex leaned her back against the bench behind them and wrapped and arm around her wife's shoulders. To her surprise, she was actually beginning to have fun.

She smiled as the student section began to chant things like, "Dane, Dane bring the pain!" She caught sight of Cara, Dane's redheaded girlfriend, in the stands with a group of girls from her school. She was wearing a shirt just like Piper's.

And that's when it happened. She saw it in slow motion, as only a mother could.

Dane, frustrated that he had been shut down by the offensive line, had gone at them full force. He leaped over one lineman on his way to the quarterback, but he didn't see the other, larger, player charging at him. The massive lineman's crashed into Dane just as the boy's feet were coming down from the jump. When the other player barreled into Dane, his left leg bent underneath him at an awkward angle.

There was no way Alex could hear the snap of bone from where she sat, but she imagined it. To make matters worse, as Dane was falling backward in the tackle, another player accidentally kicked him in the helmet.

Alex and Piper were both on their feet before their son's limp form hit the ground. Alex rushed for the for the stairs in an attempt to get to the field, but Bill caught her arm and shook his head.

"We need to stay out of the way of the trainers and the ambulance. Meet them at the gate to find out which hospital they're taking him to, and Carol and I will pull the car around."

Alex nodded, not quite processing what the man had said.

Once they had gotten the information they needed, they allowed Bill and Carol to drive them to the hospital behind the ambulance. Piper was shaking in the seat next to her, and Alex held onto her like a lifeline. She was haunted by the image of their son's limp body on the stretcher as it was being loaded into the emergency vehicle.

At the hospital, it was only more tense waiting. Carol went to call Cal and Danny while Bill paced the length of the waiting room. He was in the middle of a heated call to the opposing team's athletic director about how lucky the man was that they weren't suing the coach for telling his boys to target Dane.

Every so often a nurse would come by to inform them of the next tests or X-Rays they would be performing and to have Piper and Alex sign consent forms.

Finally, in the early hours of the morning, they were told they could see their son. Bill and Carol said that they would wait, giving the family some privacy. Alex clutched Piper's hand as they walked through the door of Dane's room.

"He was given another dose of pain medication not too long ago, so he'll be out for awhile," said a friendly nurse as she exited.

Alex's breath caught in her throat at the sight of her son in the hospital bed. Dane had been given a CT scan to check for any possible concussion, and Alex thanked whatever God might be out there that the scans had come back negative.

They had been told, however, that the boy's tibial shaft had fractured. The injured leg was already bound in a cast and elevated in a sling that hung from the ceiling. Piper crawled carefully into the bed next to their son and hugged him close, her silent tears wetting the front of his hospital gown.

Alex stepped forward, fighting back her own tears. She gently placed her hand on the cast, knowing how crazy the limited mobility would drive the boy. After all, he had been an "on the go" kid from his first steps.

A small smile played at Alex's lips as she recalled the November day 14 years earlier. She and Dane were in the apartment together, waiting for Piper to come home from work. The boy was three months shy of his first birthday, and Alex hated any time she had to spend away from him and Piper.

That day, she had left the bookstore early and picked Dane up from the day care. After stopping off for some ice cream, they had returned to the apartment. Alex turned on the radio and set her son down on his unsteady legs, never letting go of his hands.

"Alright, kid, it's time for your mom to show you some of her moves."

She grooved to the beat and gently moved her son along with her, pretending that he was her dancing partner. The little boy seemed to find it hilarious, and he was soon laughing so hard he was gasping for air in between giggles.

Alex, too, erupted in a fit of laughter, and she stopped to catch her breath. She steadied Dane before releasing his hands just long enough to plop down on the floor. But much to her surprise, the boy took a tentative step toward her on his own. He giggled and took another before losing his balance and falling into Alex's waiting hands.

"Holy shit!" Alex exclaimed. "I mean….look, just don't let that be your first word."

She high-fived her son's tiny hand and kissed the top of his head.

"I can't believe you took your first steps, buddy. Mama is going to be so proud."

The smile on Alex's face faltered. She knew when she told Piper that Dane had taken his first steps without her around to witness it, she would be devastated.

"Why do you say we keep this between you and me for awhile?" Alex asked the boy.

 **[Later That Evening]**

Alex was reading a children's book to Dane when Piper came through the front door. The blonde wasted no time in dropping her bag, kissing her wife soundly, and scooping up their son for a hug.

"What'd you two do this afternoon?"

"Oh nothing special. Just hung out," Alex replied. "Glad you're home."

Piper handed Dane to Alex before settling herself next to the darker-haired woman on the floor. Alex saw and opportunity, and when Piper was situated, Alex balanced Dane on his feet. She made it seem like she was waiting for her wife to take the boy back.

"Come to Mama," Piper said, reaching.

Before she could grasp him, Alex let go of Dane's hands and he took two teetering steps into his mother's arms. For a brief moment, Piper didn't realize what had happened. Alex caught herself smirking and quickly masked it with a look of surprise.

"Oh my God! He just walked. Al, did you see? He took his first steps!"

"I saw! He really walked!" Alex replied, getting caught up in her wife's excitement.

Piper looked like she was about to burst from joy, and Alex was glad she had waited so they could share this moment. She leaned over and kissed the blonde.

Now, in the dimly lit hospital room, Alex glanced down at the pair. Piper had fallen asleep next to Dane, but Alex remained standing as if she was keeping watch over the two most important people in her life.

The tension of the day drained out of her as the warm memory of her son's first steps played over in her mind. She was just grateful that she hadn't seen her son take his _last_ steps.

Dane would be okay - if a little moody - when he woke up. But he would heal. In a few months, he would once again be able to walk to the record store with her, go running with Piper, and play the sports he loved.

Alex pulled the hospital blanket up to cover her wife and son and sent out a silent thank you to any possible God that might be listening. This was her family, but she didn't mind a little help protecting them.


	9. Chapter 9

*****A/N: I've gotten some requests for more teen Dane chapters and a few for my take on the wedding and pregnancy. Keep an eye out for all those in the near future. In the meantime, all your reviews and requests are welcome and appreciated. Cheers!*****

Piper was situated at the kitchen counter, deeply focused on several PoPi spreadsheets, when she heard the _clack clack clack_ of Dane's crutches. It was a sound that had become all too familiar as of late.

The first few weeks after his injury, Dane had still gone to practice after school. He helped out how he could, passing out waters, coaching the JV team through drills. But it wasn't long before his coach told him that though he appreciated the boy's dedication to his team, they both knew there were better things he could be doing during his injury.

The coach reminded Dane that the school offered credit for internships and said that colleges looked favorably upon athletes who could perform well on and off the field. Dane had taken the hint, and now instead of going to practice after school, he went to the apartment gym to lift or out with Cara.

On the weekends, when they were all home together, was when he got the most antsy. Piper loved her son. She really did, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could take the sound of his crutches while he constantly paced around the apartment. She knew he was bored. She sympathized, but he was testing her patience.

"Ma?" Dane's voice called down the hall followed by the _clack clack clack_.

"What?" she called back, perhaps a little harshly.

"Do you want to go see a movie this afternoon?"

He appeared in the living room and clacked his way into the kitchen for a glass of milk.

"I told you, D, I've got to get these spreadsheets over to Aunt Pol this weekend. Maybe your mom will want to go when she gets home."

Dane shrugged and crutched over to sit on the stool next to Piper's. The blonde tried to focus on her work, but she could feel Dane watching her computer screen, and it was very distracting.

"What's Cara doing today?" she asked pointedly.

"She's working a double shift," Dane mumbled.

Piper patted his leg and returned to her work. Dane flipped through a music magazine on the counter for a few minutes.

"Have you heard anything from the doctor about getting my cast off early?" he asked, once again distracting his mother.

Piper sighed heavily and turned to her son, gently cupping his face in her hands. His blue eyes stared back in surprise.

"Okay listen, baby, I love you. I do. But right now you are driving me and your mom crazy. I know you're bored, but you've _got_ to find a way to keep busy. What about the internship program your coach told you about? Have you given that any thought?"

Dane shrugged.

"Have you looked into any of the listings on the school website? Any at all?"

Again, the boy shrugged. Piper gripped his face a little firmer to get his attention.

"Dane, sweetie, go to your room, get your computer, and come right back to this stool. I'm going to give you an hour to choose an internship or I swear to God..."

She trailed off, trying to recollect her patience. She released her son's face and pointed him to his room sharply.

Looking more than a little shocked, Dane clacked back to his room. It wasn't long before he returned with his laptop pinned against one of his crutches. When he had situated himself, Piper closed her own laptop and started a timer on her phone.

"Remember: one hour."

With a nervous side glance at his mother, the sandy-haired teen booted up the device and logged on to his school account. He clicked on the internships-for-credit page and began to scroll through the listings.

"What about something where you can write? You've always been good with words."

It was a fact Piper and Alex were proud of. They had taken great care to make sure their son had a deep appreciation for good literature and great writing.

To her relief, Dane cocked his head and nodded thoughtfully, the universal teenage way of saying, "I don't hate that idea."

"Here's one," he said, pointing to the screen. "Junior Sports and Entertainment Reporter."

"Two of your favorite things!" Piper chimed.

Dane clicked the listing and read for a moment.

"Looks like it's three afternoons a week for an online newspaper called Bloom Media. Oh nice!" he exclaimed. "The company will pay for tickets to major sporting events, concerts, and movie premieres that they want covered."

Piper watched hopefully as Dane opened another tab and typed the newspaper's name into the search bar. He seemed genuinely excited about the listing. From the "About Us" page, mother and son learned that the publication was started in 2016 and had won several small, local awards.

 _"Certainly not 'The Times,'"_ her mother would have said.

But Piper was not Carol. If her son showed interest, she would support him no matter how small the publication was.

Dane read a little more and scrolled down. Both he and Piper sucked in their breath. In the center of the page was a photo of the website's owner: Larry Bloom.

Piper and Alex had agreed early on that they would keep very little from their son, and therefore, Dane was fully aware of his Piper's history with Larry. He turned to look at the woman now, but Piper was ready for him. She had already recomposed her expression of shock into a blank mask.

"There were other writing ones," her son said, moving his finger along the trackpad to close the tab.

Piper stopped him. Dane was clearly very enthusiastic about this opportunity, and Larry Bloom hadn't been an issue in her life for over 20 years. Sure, he would know Dane was her son because she and Alex would have to sign the permission slip for him to participate in the internship, but it wasn't like she and Larry would have to see each other.

"You should apply."

Dane hesitated. "I don't know. It would be great, but are you okay with it?"

Piper felt instant guilt at her recent frustrations with the boy. He truly was a sweet kid.

"We'll talk it over with your mom tonight, but go ahead and apply before someone else gets it."

 **[Later That Week]**

Piper beamed at her son when he finally came out of his room. Today was the day of his interview at Bloom Media, and he had rushed home from school to change. Piper couldn't help but note how grownup he looked in his jeans (one leg rolled up to accommodate his cast), the blue button-up that matched his eyes, and a darker blue sports jacket. His messenger bag, containing the copy of his resume, writing samples, and laptop, was slung across his chest.

"You look like a journalist. Doesn't he look like a journalist, Al?"

Alex glanced up from her book.

"Like the _GQ_ version of Woodward and Bernstein," Alex teased.

Piper knew her wife wasn't completely comfortable with Larry potentially employing their son. To be quite honest, neither was she. But neither of them would ever do anything that would hinder Dane's happiness or his future.

"We'd better get going if you want to make it there by five," the older woman added, tossing the literature aside

 **[Outside Bloom Media]**

When they pulled up in front of the two-story red brick building in the East Village, Piper turned around in her seat and clasped Dane's hand.

"You're going to do great," she said with a wide grin. "Good lucky, baby. Call us when you're done and we'll all go to dinner."

Piper pulled back to allow Alex her turn. The raven-haired woman bumped fists with Dane.

"You got this, buddy. Just let your writing speak for itself. And remember," she added as the boy climbed out of the car, "Larry's a sucker for that Chapman charm."

Piper turned to her wife when Dane had gone.

"'Larry's a sucker for that Chapman charm.' Really, Al?"

Alex leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Why shouldn't the kid benefit from mistakes made in another life, Pipes?"

Piper shook her head but couldn't stop herself from smiling at her wife.

"Do you want to get a drink around here while we wait? I'm sure there's a place with low lighting and a back booth," Piper added, shooting her wife a flirtatious smile and placing her hand on the taller woman's thigh..

"Absolutely" Alex said, jamming the car into drive.

"Seems like Larry isn't the only one susceptible to the Chapman charm," she giggled, having proved her point.

 **[Inside Bloom Media]**

Dane cursed his pride for not allowing him to take the elevator to the second floor. Now, as he crutched over the last step, he was out of breath and sore under the arms. He took a moment to collect himself before approaching the front desk.

A young woman, perhaps another intern, sat behind the desk looking bored.

"Excuse me," he said to get her attention.

When she glanced up and took in Dane's handsome features, her face came back to life.

"Hello there. What brings you in today?," she asked, leaning forward to rest her chin on her hands.

Dane gave her a friendly smile. He was no stranger to flirting, but he was happy with Cara.

"I'm here for an interview with Mr. Bloom."

Name?" she asked, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Dane Vauseman."

The young woman's gaze slipped to Dane's lips for a moment before it drifted to the calendar on her computer.

"Sports and entertainment reporter, huh? You can't be older than a freshman. What university do you attend?"

Dane chuckled. "You're right about the freshman part. Just not the college part. I'm here for the Junior Writer internship."

The young woman's face fell as she realized Dane was just a teenager.

"Oh, I uh-," she cleared her throat. "I'll page Mr. Bloom now."

"No need, Emily. I'm right here."

Dane turned to find Larry Bloom waiting for him with a bemused expression that suggested he witnessed his secretary's flirting. The man looked almost the same as he did in the couple of old photos his mother had kept - pullover and all.

Larry's dark, curly hair was cut in the same way it had been when he had been with Piper, except now there were gray streaks peppered throughout. His once baby face had become more lined, especially around his forehead and between his brows. From the pictures, Dane had never thought of Larry as fit, but he was slightly pudgier now.

After a moment, he realized he'd been staring and he shook himself out of it.

"Mr. Bloom," Dane said, clacking forward to shake the man's hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dane Vauseman."

"You're tall," Larry commented lamely when he saw that the 14-year-old matched him in height.

"I've been told," Dane said with a smile and a shrug.

Larry's eyes narrowed briefly as if he were trying to recall a similar conversation from the past. Finally, he blinked and pressed his lips back into that goofy smile.

"Let's head back to my office. You want a coffee or anything?"

"No, sir. Thank you."

Dane followed Larry into an office, setting his crutches on the ground beside his chair. As the older man settled into his chair, Dane took the opportunity to examine the man's work space. It was sparsely decorated - a little boring. A few plants here and there, a desk photo of Larry, a middle-aged Jewish woman and two dark-haired teens, and a framed copy of a yellowing _Times_ article titled "One Sentence, Two Prisoners."

Knowing the article was about his mother, Dane choose to focus on the desk photo.

"Is that your family?" he asked.

Larry looked at the photo. Though he wore a smile, Dane noticed it didn't touch his eyes.

"Yeah, that's my wife, Mira. That's my daughter, Abby. She just started college this year."

"Oh congrats! Where did she go?"

"Smith," Larry replied a little flatly before pointing to the boy. "This is my son, Howie. He's a couple of years old than you."

"You have a lovely family, sir."

"Call me Larry," the man said, shuffling papers around on his desk. After locating the one he wanted, he looked at the boy. "So, you're really just a freshman?"

Dane nodded.

"Well, I usually only offer internships to seniors or college students, but when I read your writing, I couldn't not meet with you. And look, we can go through the whole interview if you want, but I'd really like to go ahead and try you in the role. I just called you in so I could get to know you a little better. What do you say?"

Dane's eyes lit up. "That sounds fantastic."

"Great! Do you have your school's permission slip?"

The boy pulled the document from his messenger bag and slid it across to Larry. In his excitement, he forgot that his mothers' names were on the paper. It didn't take him long to remember, however, when he saw Larry's face pale.

Dane braced himself and waited.

"Your, uh, parents' names are Alex and...Piper?"

"They are."

"Vauseman?" Larry prodded, sounding a little confused.

"That's right."

Larry finally lifted his gaze from the form to study Dane's face.

"You don't by chance have an uncle named Cal, do you?"

Dane saw an opportunity and seized it.

"Mr. Bloom, I think it's only fair for me to tell you that I came here knowing you and my mother were once involved. I wasn't trying to keep it from you, but I didn't want it to affect my chances. I want this internship. I know I could do great work for you, but if it would be too weird having me around, I understand."

Dane let out a breath after his speech, his large blue eyes radiating honesty. Larry found himself caught up in the boy's charm, just as he had been caught up in Piper's.

"You look like her, you know. Like….Piper?" Larry said hesitantly, not willing to admit that he was unsure which woman had given birth to the boy.

Dane couldn't hide his smirk at the man's obvious discomfort. The smirk caused Larry to waver on his decision.

"Alex?" he tried again, his dislike for the dark-haired woman showing through. "They're still together then?"

"They are. Next year will be their 20th anniversary."

"20 years. That's-. Wow…" Larry trailed off. "Hey h- how is she? Piper.

Dane fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair.

"She's well," the boy replied.

He didn't feel comfortable revealing too much without his mothers' permission.

"And are you an only child? She- _They_ didn't have any more kids?"

Dane shook his head, the smile now gone from his face.

"Well, it's understandable. I can imagine it was expensive, you know?"

Deciding he had given the man enough chances to remain professional, Dane reached for his crutches and stood.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bloom - Larry - maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I should go."

"No, wait. I'm sorry," Larry said. "I didn't mean to…"

"Make it weird?" Dane asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"I kind of did, huh? I'm sorry. Would you please stay? Have a seat and we'll try again. "

Dane hesitated only briefly before returning to the chair, wearing a guarded expression. He watched as Larry visibly recomposed himself into a professional demeanor.

 _I can't believe Ma was really going to marry this guy_ , he thought before scolding himself at his snap judgement.

It wasn't fair of him. Interviewing the son of the women who broke your heart decades prior would throw anyone off. He tried to keep his expression soft as he waited for Larry to gather his thoughts.

"I want you to write for me, Dane. So like I said, if you want the internship, it's yours. But I think we should establish some ground rules, a code of conduct, whatever you want to call it."

"That sounds fair."

"One of those rules will be that we won't talk about your personal life unless you decide to share something first. You're here to write, not face an inquest."

"I appreciate that," the sandy-haired boy replied sincerely. "I'm excited to see what I can do for Bloom Media and what I can learn here in the process."

Larry grinned.

"So, you're in?"

"I'm in," Dane said, extending his hand. "We can talk Code of Conduct later."

The older man nodded and shook Dane's hand enthusiastically.

"Give me the weekend to sort out your desk and your first assignments, but I'll see you in here Monday after school."

"I look forward to it."

Dane returned the man's smile as he gathered up his things. When he reached the elevator, Larry called out to him. The man came jogging up to him, slightly out of breath from the small exertion.

"Tell your mom hi for me?"

"With all due respect, Larry, I'm not going to do that."

The man's face fell a little, and Dane felt compelled to go on.

"There's a lot of history between you and my moms, and it's finally settled. You're all in good places, right? I don't see the need to go tearing skin off healed wounds - anybody's wounds."

"No, no. You're right. It was silly. I shouldn't have said anything. See you Monday?" Larry asked, rearranging his face into a smile.

"See you Monday."

As his new boss walked away and the elevator dinged to announce it's arrival, Dane turned to Emily with a grin.

"You too, Emily."

He clacked onto the elevator, and as the doors closed, he chuckled to himself at the memory's of the young woman's fierce blush.


	10. Chapter 10

*****A/N: Don't worry, everyone. That special Alex/Dane story you requested is coming, probably in the next chapter. Shout out to cakedinmud for the prompt and the rest of you for backing it! This one was already written, though, so bear with me. This chapter also has a shift of POV about halfway through, but I wanted to give you both Piper and Alex's wedding day thoughts. ALSO, keep those reviews coming.*****

When Alex walked into the apartment after work, Dane was seated at the old piano that rarely saw use. The instrument faced the wall near the window, so the boy's back was to the door and he didn't hear her come in.

Alex hadn't seen her son play the piano since he was much younger when Carol had insisted on paying for lessons. Dane had always seemed to prefer his guitar, claiming that the piano "wasn't cool." He must have kept up with it, however, because the effortless way he played could not have come from an impromptu sit down.

Alex made sure not to make a sound. She just wanted to watch the kid play for a moment. She found herself less wrapped up in the sweet melody and more caught up in the way the sandy-haired 15-year-old seemed to be putting on a show for no one, not unlike Jarrod Radnich.

His shoulders moved ever so slightly as his fingers grazed across the keys, tapping out a familiar classic. It was Liszt's "Liebestraum" otherwise known as "Love Dream," the song she and Piper had walked down the aisle to 20 years ago tomorrow.

 **[19 Years and 364 Days Prior - Give Or Take a Few Hours]**

Alex took another steadying breath. This was the moment she had been waiting for since she the day Piper walked into her life. However, she hadn't seen the blonde in almost two days, and like the junkies she used to supply, she found herself craving the woman like a drug.

She silently cursed Polly, Carol, and Neri for keeping her fiance so busy with final preparations, and she added a curse for herself for agreeing to go the traditional route of not seeing each other last night or today.

What was Piper feeling? Was she as nervous as Alex? What did she look like in her dress?

 _Fuck tradition_ , Alex thought.

Their relationship had never been traditional anyway. She burst out of her dressing room in search of her soon-to-be-wife. As she rounded a corner in the venue, Alex stopped short upon hearing Carol's heavy sigh.

"Piper, let us in," Polly demanded outside the door of her friend's dressing room. "We promise not to change your hair again."

"Just give me ten minutes," Piper called back. Alex could her that her voice was constricted with nerves.

Opting to avoid the two lionesses outside Piper's door, Alex took a side exit to the building's wrap-around balcony. She followed it to the outer door of the blonde's dressing room. Without knocking, she slipped in.

Piper was seated at the vanity with her face buried in her hands. At the sight of her, Alex swallowed several times, begging her body to remember how to breathe. Piper's dress, hair, and makeup were all gorgeous, but it was nothing compared to what it all meant: This woman would soon be her wife. To have and to hold…

 _To hold._

Alex's hands ached to hold Piper. She shut the door and moved further into the room.

At the sound of the door closing, Piper looked up and made eye contact with Alex in the mirror. All the anxiety drained from her features, and she bounded across the room into Alex's waiting arms.

"I missed you," she breathed into Alex's neck.

"I missed you, too, Pipes. If only there was some way we wouldn't have to be apart ever again…" Alex joked.

"Shut up," Piper said, smiling.

The shorter woman started to pull her in for a kiss but stopped short.

"What's wrong?" Alex said, suddenly self-conscious.

Piper's blue eyes roamed over her face and then down her body. A slow-spreading grin threatened to split the blonde's face and tears welled in her eyes.

"What?" Alex asked again.

Piper shrugged, unable to speak for a moment.

"You just look really beautiful, Al."

Alex couldn't wait any longer. She pulled Piper's body flush against hers and kissed her passionately. It was all teasing and taunting before it grew into a fever pitch of open-mouths and shared breaths. She refused to pull away until the knocks on the door reached a crescendo.

"Piper Elizabeth Chapman, you will not be late for your own wedding! Let us in." Carol shouted from the other side of the door.

Alex nuzzled her nose against Piper's and whispered, "Yeah, you wouldn't want to keep me waiting, would you?"

Piper kissed Alex hungrily once more before shoving her toward the door.

"See you soon," she said.

"I'll be the one in white," Alex returned with a wink.

 **[A Little Later]**

Piper's heart pounded in her chest as Bill kissed her cheek and took her arm in his. It was time. All that was left was to wait for the musical cue, and she would be on her way to becoming Piper Vauseman.

The butterflies in her stomach were no longer from nerves. They were aflutter with excitement knowing that Alex would be at the end of the aisle waiting for her. It was an agreement they had come to since Alex had no one she wanted to walk her down the aisle.

The piano melody began, and Bill looked over at Piper.

"You ready?"

"I've been ready for so long, Daddy. Get me to her quick, okay?"

Bill smiled at his ever-impatient daughter and patted the hand she had looped around his arm. He opened the door and guided Piper in.

At first, Piper's eyes flitted nervously around the spectators, but when she finally looked at Alex, she was transfixed. The dark-haired beauty - _her_ dark-haired beauty - was watching her with an expression that was the perfect blend of complete adoration and unabashed lust.

Piper found she couldn't get to Alex quick enough. She was nearly pulling her father down the aisle. When he finally handed her off, he seemed a little relieved.

"Hey," Alex said softly as they joined hands.

"Hey yourself."

The officiator began the ceremony, but Piper barely heard his words. They didn't matter anyway. What she and Alex had transcended all of this. She and Alex were inevitable to each other. A wedding wasn't necessary to prove that, but Piper would hold the memory of Alex standing before her in white for the rest of her life.

"Pipes," Alex's whisper shook the blonde from her thoughts. "You have to say it back."

"I do!" Piper said quickly.

Alex let out a quick laugh as the officiator pronounced them married and told them they could kiss their bride. Piper fit herself against her wife like a puzzle piece and kissed her deeply. When the applause started, she rested her forehead against Alex's. She was dizzyingly happy and this woman was her anchor.

"I heart you," the dark-haired woman murmured.

"I heart you, too," Piper replied without hesitation.

 **[Present Day]**

Suddenly, Dane found the perfect moment in the classical song to transition to an energetic piano cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and Alex snapped out of her memory, laughing out loud.

The song cut off as Dane whirled around on the piano bench.

"When did you two get home?" he asked, clearly embarrassed.

Alex turned, realizing Piper had also returned home sometime during the song. Judging by the look on her face, she, too, was recalling their special day. Alex stared at her, not wanting to blink and break the magic of the moment. Piper stared back at her with her with a half-lidded look of adoration and reached over to intertwine their fingers.

Oddly and without provocation, the words of Oscar Wilde popped into Alex's mind: "The very essence of romance is uncertainty." But Alex disagreed with the playwright. For over 20 years there had only been one thing she was ever sure about, and that was Piper.

"Can you guys at least wait until I get to my room and put headphones on before it gets premium cable up in here?" Dane said with a smirk and a roll of his eyes.

"You better move fast," Alex replied without taking her eyes off Piper.


	11. Chapter 11

*****A/N: Whew, this is a long one! Sorry to those who prefer shorter chapters. Next up: The Alex/Dane request.*****

It was a Saturday night, and Alex was leaning on the kitchen counter and sipping a beer while she watched Piper prepare one of the ingredient-and-recipe meal kit's they got delivered every week.

"Shit!" she said as the water in the pot started to boil over.

At the exact same time, they heard an emphatic, "Shit!" come from Dane's bathroom. Alex cocked and eyebrow and looked between her wife and the hallway.

"And you say he gets his mouth from me," she teased.

"You could help me with this, you know?" Piper snapped.

Alex pushed away from the counter and wrapped her arms around Piper's waist.

"I'm not hungry for basil pesto whatever-the-fuck," she said, pressing a kiss into Piper's neck.

The blonde woman leaned back against her.

"Ma! Mom! Can I borrow the car tonight? I'm already running late."

Dane's internship with Larry had ended two years ago, but the man had asked him to come on part-time. Dane had been writing there ever since. Alex knew that tonight he was supposed to cover a reunion concert for some band up on Manhattan Ave.

The gig was at a bar, and normally, the women would have told Dane they weren't comfortable with him attending, but fortunately, it was Nicky's bar. With their wild-haired friend's promise that she would look out for him, they gave him permission.

"Guys!" Dane called again more frantically.

The teen came rushing out of the bathroom in a pairs of dark jeans. His hair was still wet and mussed from the towel, and he was pulling a black t-shirt over his head. It looked new, and when he finally had it smoothed out over his torso, Alex saw that it was a Death Maiden shirt. Alex's breath caught.

The 17-year-old was much too young to know about the band. Alex, herself, hadn't given her father's band much thought since she was just a little older than her son was now.

"You can grab some money for a cab out of my purse," Piper answered. "Your mom and I may need the car later."

Dane sighed and rolled his eyes. As he was collecting the money and pulling on his black low top canvas shoes, Alex leaned in to whisper to Piper.

"Did you know the reunion concert he was going to was Death Maiden?"

Piper shrugged, not understanding.

"He didn't say what the concert was. Why?"

" _Death Maiden_ , Piper," Alex stressed, trying to get her wife to remember. "You know, my father's band."

"Oh…" Piper uttered. Her blue eyes were wide with concern. "Should we tell him he can't go?"

"Later!" Dane called before rushing out the door.

Alex stared after him.

"Too late now. Besides, he's just there to cover the concert. He doesn't know anything about Lee Burley, and if we're lucky, that won't change after tonight."

 **[At Nicky's Bar]**

Dane climbed out of the cab and shook hands with Big Boo, the bouncer at Nicky's bar.

"How ya doin', kid?" she asked, punching him on the arm.

"Running late actually," he replied.

"Like these old rockers ever start on time. You're probably good for another hour. Nichols wanted you to stop by the bar and say hi."

With a nod, he said, "Take it easy, B."

Dane checked his phone. He had invited Cara to come with him tonight, but she'd said she had plans with a friend from out of town. He hadn't heard from her since. Deciding that he was probably over thinking things - a trait he had Piper to thank for - Dane made his way up to the bar.

"Aunt Nick," he called over the buzz of the crowd.

"Hey, if it isn't the prodigal son of my two favorite lesbians!" she shouted from the other end of the bar.

When she'd finished with her customer, she sauntered down to Dane. She hauled herself halfway over the bar, pulled the teen toward her, and kissed his head.

"Jesus, you get taller every time I see you. You drive here tonight?"

Dane shook his head. "Couldn't get the keys."

"Then you wanna drink?"

Dane had been coming to the bar with his parents since he was a kid. As he'd gotten older, Nicky had ignored the fact that he was 17 and given him a beer here or a weak mixed drink there. She trusted him to handle it, and he'd never let her down. Alex didn't mind much, and Piper said that she'd rather her son drink under Nicky's supervision than at a party.

"I'll buy it for him," purred an extremely attractive blonde woman in a beanie.

The had turned away from her friends when she'd seen Dane come in. Nicky laughed to herself. There was no doubt that the Vausemans' kid was good-looking, if one was into the whole male thing. However, she knew Dane, and he was happy with his girlfriend.

"What'll you have?" the girl, possibly a college student and not too much older than the boy, asked.

The teen flicked his questioning gaze over to Nicky who nodded in return.

"Lady's choice," Dane replied smoothly.

Nicky was impressed. The kid may have the Chapman charm, but he'd definitely picked up a thing or two from Alex.

"Two shots of tequila."

"Lime and salt?" Nicky asked.

"Definitely," the young woman replied.

Nicky went off to fill the order, and Dane extended his hand.

"Dane."

"Taylor," she said, ignoring his outstretched hand and moving closer.

Over the girl's shoulder, Dane noticed her friends nudging each other and watching them. He nodded at them in greeting. Taylor recaptured his attention by tracing her finger lazily down the front of his shirt.

"You a big fan of the band?"

"Can't say one way or the other. I've never listened to them," Dane admitted. "You like them?"

Taylor shrugged. "It's sort of a requirement. Jimmy, the bassist, is my grandfather. I'm in school for public relations, so I'm kind of like their intern. I got them this gig."

"That's actually really interesting. You mind if I write this down?"

Taylor gave him a look of confusion.

"I'm a writer. I'm actually here tonight to cover the reunion."

Nicky returned with the shots and accoutrements. "Band should be on in ten."

Dane thanked her and handed a glass to Taylor. The girl locked eyes with the teen while she licked the salt suggestively from her palm. Dane swallowed hard, and it was all Nicky could do not to cackle. The kid didn't even bother with the salt, choosing instead to shoot it straight.

Taylor leaned in after licking her lips clear of lime juice and whispered in his ear. "Another?"

Dane was about to refuse when a familiar redhead caught his eye. He watched with an open mouth as Cara entered the bar with an older boy from her school. She had her arm around his waist, and he had one of his hands tucked into her back pocket.

Dane started for them, but Nicky came around the bar and caught him.

"This fucking sucks, kid, but now is not the time to handle it. You've got a job to do here tonight, and more importantly in my humble opinion, you've got a leggy blonde trying to take you home."

It felt simultaneously like the wind had been knocked out of Dane's chest and that he was on fire with rage. With a final, disgusted scowl toward his girlfriend and her date, Dane turned his full attention on Taylor.

"This one's on me," he said.

He signaled to Nicky, and the woman brought two more shots and the beers Dane requested for chasers. Taylor licked her hand, coated it in salt, and offered it to Dane. The teen hesitated. He glanced guiltily over at Cara who was oblivious to his gaze. She was now dancing close with the other guy to the house music.

Dane shut his eyes for a moment and swallowed. When he opened them again, they were zeroed in on Taylor. He reached up and gently cupped her hand in his, brought it to his mouth, and licked it clean. Taylor poured the shot in his mouth and offered him the lime wedge. Before Dane could do the same for her, the young woman grasped the front of his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss.

Dane was the first to pull away. He looked conflicted. Taylor looked anything but. Her eyes had darkened, and she moved in to kiss the sandy-haired teen again when one of her friends tapped her shoulder.

"They're starting," the girl said, gesturing to the stage.

"You want to dance?" Taylor rasped.

"Lead the way," he answered.

Taylor gave him a sultry grin and started toward the dance floor. Dane grabbed her untouched shot and drained it quickly. He also grabbed one of the beers and took it with him as he followed Taylor up to the front row. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or gutted that Cara had been too busy making out with the other guy to notice him walk by with another woman.

The band, a tatted bunch of old guys wearing bandanas on their heads and years of hard drinking and drug use on their faces, launched into their first song. Dane tried to focus on the music. He would, after all, have to write about this later.

Taylor wasn't making it easy for him, though. She had pressed her back tight against him and was moving rhythmically to the music. Dane took a long drag from his beer. Too soon and not soon enough, the song ended. Taylor turned to him, kissed him deeply and drunkenly, and said she was going to the ladies' room.

As Dane watched her walk away, the drummer, who introduced himself as Lee Burley, began to speak to the crowd. He looked like the kind of guy who was once a real asshole but who had been through enough to change his ways later in life. The way Burley thanked the crowd for being there and how he talked about the next song - something called "Vase (pronounced like his mom's maiden name) of Black Roses" - felt really genuine. Apparently it was written for a daughter he never really knew.

"Shut the fuck up and play already!" shouted the guy Cara had come with.

A few others grumbled their agreement, and Burley leaned away from his mic. Death Maiden started up again, but this time they played a slow rock ballad. Dane felt himself sway a little tipsily as he listened to the singer tell the story of a lonely man who was wandering through a field of black roses in a gray world, searching for something but not knowing what. The man stumbled upon a rose that's different from the others, but when he tried to pluck it, he realized that it was a little girl with jet-black hair. Her green eyes lit up his world, showing him his path out of the grey.

"Ohhhh my God," Cara's guy groaned over the music. "This sucks worse than your old stuff."

Dane realized that the pair had moved closer to the stage. The guy, likely a lightweight, was already drunk.

"Play 'Dirty Girl' already."

The lead singer paused the song to ask Cara's date to cool it or leave. The guy responded by flipping him the bird. At this point, Taylor returned. She glowered at the asshole, and Dane felt his temper flare.

"I didn't pay that fucking cover to listen to a hacky sob song about some stupid kid," the guy bellowed.

This seemed to have set Burley over the edge. Dane watched through his buzz haze as the drummer kicked his set out of the way and made his way toward the younger man. Cara's date, seeing this, threw his beer bottle on the stage, causing it to shatter and splash the other band members.

For an old rocker, Burley seemed pretty mobile. He leapt from the stage and stood in front of the heckler, less than a few feet from Dane and Taylor.

"Shut your fucking mouth and let us play the song."

"Or what?" the younger guy taunted.

"Or I'll kick your ass."

The date scoffed. In his rage, Burley took a swing, but the younger man easily avoided it. However, when he wound up to strike the aging drummer, Dane intervened. He was quick enough to step in front of the musician, but it didn't leave him enough time to put up any defense.

The older boy's fist slammed into his face, causing him to see spots. He could already feel his eye swelling.

"Dane!" Cara cried, noticing him for the first time that evening.

She looked concerned for his well-being and was rushing to him before realization struck her. She'd been caught cheating and she knew it. Looking sick with guilt, she stepped back by the boy she'd come with. Dane couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"You okay, kid?" Burley asked Dane.

"He's fine," Cara's date insisted. "Aren't you? Don't be a pussy."

The crowd seemed pretty divided. Half were bored bar patrons who came out on the wrong night, and they seemed eager for a fight. The other half were diehard Death Maiden fans, and they called for everyone "to chill the fuck out and let them play."

When a member of the latter group stepped forward to remove Cara's date, a couple members of the former came up to defend him. Pretty soon, there was an honest-to-God bar brawl unfolding.

As much as Dane wanted to use the chaos as an excuse to sink a few punches into the guy Cara had come with, the scared look in his girlfriend's eyes stopped him. He could see Nicky dialing the police on the phone behind the bar, and he didn't want her to be here when they showed up.

Swallowing his pride and his anger, he put a hand on the small of her back and escorted her through the melee and out onto the street.

"There's a fight in there, B. Nicky'll need you," Dane said as he passed by the bouncer.

On the curb, he hailed her a cab with a single whistle and tried to urge her into it.

"I need to make sure Jack gets home," she said.

"Jack can find his own way home," Dane asserted.

He tried to get her into the car once more, but she leapt forward and clung to him, burying her face in his chest and sobbing. Dane resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her. Instead, he gently peeled her away and looked down at her face impassively.

"I'm so sorry, baby," she mewled.

"We can talk tomorrow. I need to go help my Aunt Nick."

Cara choked on a sob but finally climbed into the cab. Dane headed toward the bar without waiting for it to drive away. The sound of police cars down the street followed him back in.

Inside, Dane saw Nicky spraying patrons who got to close to her with the seltzer hose. Boo was doing more fighting than breaking up, and Jack was getting pulverized by a biker-looking man. A quick scan of the crowd through his good eye told Dane that Taylor was safe near the back of the stage with her grandfather.

"Hey, kid, a little help?"

At the sound of Burley's voice, Dane turned and found that a goon had him in a headlock.

Dane silently thanked the defensive coordinator for the extra morning practices that season as he charged full speed at the man. The goon turned to protect himself, causing him to release hard tackle left the man writhing on the ground in pain.

Burley offered Dane a hand to help him up, clapping him on the back when he'd steadied himself. The pair exchanged mischievous smiles. At that moment, the police burst in to break up the scene.

 **[A Little Later]**

In the mayhem that followed the arrival of the cops, Dane had been cuffed and lined up along the wall with as many of the other patrons as the officers could catch. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Lee Burley.

"Think of the story you'll have, huh?" the older man said with a wink.

Despite an on-setting headache and the swollen eye, Dane found himself smiling.

"Nah, officer, this one's fine. He's with me," Nicky said, pointing to the teen.

Dane made eye contact with Nicky and bobbed his head pointedly toward the drummer. Nicky shook her head, but Dane wouldn't relent.

"Jesus," she muttered. "That one, too. The old fucker."

An officer stepped forward and uncuffed Dane and Burley before herding the last of the rabble rousers out of the venue. Nicky went behind the bar and began making an ice pack while Dane and Burley settled in next to each other on the stools.

"Hey Nick," Dane began. "Thanks."

"Are you fucking kidding? If your mothers got here and you were in handcuffs, they'd both end up back in prison for murdering me. So don't thank me because I certainly didn't do it for you. Now put this on your face, so you don't look like Quasimodo when they get here."

" _Back_ in prison?" the drummer asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Dane shrugged and did as he was told, wincing when the chill touched his skin.

"Long story." He faced Nicky again. "Are they on their way now?"

"Jesus Christ, Nicky, what happened?" Piper's unusually shrill voice echoed through the now-empty mess of a bar.

"That answer your question?" Nicky retorted.

Piper rushed over to her son and pulled the ice pack away.

"Oh my God," she said, eyeing his injury with disgust. "Did you get in a fight? Did you let him get in a fight?"

Nicky threw her hands up in a sign of innocence.

"Where's Mom?"

"She's parking the car. Dane, what happened?"

"I can explain that," Burley interjected.

"And who are you?"

"Lee Fucking Burley," Alex spat from the doorway.

Dane glanced around his blonde mother to get a better look. Alex looked as mad as he had ever seen her.

"Al- Alex?" Burley stammered.

Dane glanced between his dark-haired mother and the drummer.

"You two know each other?" he asked, carefully.

"She's my dau-."

"Oh hell no," Alex said, cutting him off. "You don't get to use that word. And you don't get to speak to my son either."

"Your son?"

Burley shifted his gaze to the teenager next to him and smiled.

"You're my-."

"Okay, you seriously need to shut the fuck up," Alex said in a dangerously low voice.

At this point, Nicky seemed to catch on. Her eyes widened and she pointed from Alex to Burley to Dane and around again before throwing her hands up in the air.

"This is too much family drama, even for me," said grumbled before disappearing into the back.

Her statement seemed to have sparked realization in Dane, as well. His head snapped between Alex and Burley.

"Wait, is 'Vase of Black Roses' about my mom?" he asked.

Burley chanced a glance at Alex before nodding.

"Vase of Black….What are you talking about, sweetie?" Piper said.

She examined his wound again as if the injury had affected his mind, but Dane brushed her away.

"I'm fine, Ma."

He quickly pulled out his phone and pulled up YouTube, tapping on the studio recording for "Vase of Black Roses." A few lines into the song, Piper's eyes drifted to Alex. It was so obviously about her.

Dane saw his raven-haired mother's nostrils flare, but she kept listening. He couldn't help but notice that she was also blinking rapidly and swallowing a lot. Two verses in, he cut the song off out of respect. He set his phone on the bar behind him.

Alex took a moment before speaking. Her green eyes were piercing into Burley.

"This doesn't change anything. _You_ are the reason I ruined my fucking life. I won't let you ruin his, too. Let's go," she snapped, looking fiercely at both Piper and Dane before storming out.

Piper pulled her son to his feet and gently pulled him toward the door.

"Wait," he exclaimed, slipping out of her grip, "my phone."

Piper glanced over her son's shoulder to the drummer sitting alone at the bar. She met her son's overly innocent gaze.

"Be quick," she whispered before exiting.

Dane crossed and shook hands with Burley.

"I'll make sure she hears the whole thing," he promised.

Burley nodded. "You play at all?"

"A little piano and guitar," Dane replied with a smile.

"Send me some of your stuff some time."

"Sure, but-"

Burley cut him off by passing the teen his phone from the bar.

"My number is already in there. Probably best to keep it between you and me for now."

The boy shook his head in agreement and headed for the door.

"Catch you around sometime, kid," the man called without turning around to watch his grandson leave.

Dane took one last look at the lonely drummer alone at the bar before exiting into the night, memorizing the image. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was the last time he would ever see Lee Burley.


	12. Chapter 12

Piper and Alex were wrapped up in each other on the couch, enjoying a rare lazy day together when Dane walked in. He looked like both relieved and exhausted.

"How did it go?" Piper asked.

Their son had just come from coffee with Cara where they were meant to "talk things out."

Piper could see how hard he fought to keep his handsome features blank.

"We agreed to end it," he said simply.

Before either of his mothers could say anything, he excused himself to his room. Alex looked at Piper with raised eyebrows.

"He'll be okay," Alex said. "It's his first heartbreak."

However, when they heard his guitar kick into an acoustic version of Ed Sheeran's "New Man," Piper couldn't take it anymore. She needed to help the boy feel better. She peeled herself away from her wife and went to his door.

"Dane?"

The guitar stopped and there was a moment of silence before she heard him say, "Just give me a little bit, Ma."

"Come on, Dane. You can't sit in your room all day. Why don't we go for a run? Change and meet me downstairs in 10 minutes."

Piper didn't hear a reply, but she hoped he would follow through. She changed her own clothes and informed Alex of her plan.

"This will be good. Exercise always helps me clear _my_ head. You know, endorphins-"

"If you quote _Clueless_ one more time, Pipes…"

Piper shrugged. "I'm just saying. And don't act like you don't have a thing for Elle Woods."

"What can I say? I have a type."

Piper rolled her eyes and went downstairs. She paced the sidewalk, wondering if her son was actually going to come out. When she finally saw his tall form exit their building, she nearly sagged in relief.

"Race you around the park? For old time's sake."

The hint of a smile played at Dane's lips.

"You think you can still keep up, you know, in your old age?" He joked.

Competitiveness. It was something they shared. But Piper was nearing 60 and her 17-year-old son was an extremely gifted athlete. There was no way she would beat him, but that wouldn't stop her from trying.

She took off in a head start, catching him off guard. She was ahead for two blocks, but as the park came into view, Dane overtook her with a smile on his face. Jesus, he didn't even look winded, and Piper was already regretting her fast start.

There was no catching him. But when Piper jogged to a stop at the Lafayette memorial and saw that he was waiting for her with a smile, it made it all worth it. Their old game had erased his heartbreak, if only temporarily.

"I almost had you," she panted.

"If by 'almost' you mean 'not even close,' then sure," he laughed.

They walked on to cool down, and Piper touched Dane's arm.

"You want to talk about it?"

Dane's jaw clenched, but he spoke calmly.

"When does it stop hurting?"

Piper's heart broke. There was nothing she could say or do that would take the pain away. She knew that all too well, but she wouldn't let him suffer in silence.

"How did she make you feel when you two were together?"

Dane thought for a moment, but Piper pressed on.

"Did she make you see the beauty in even the ugliest situations? Your mom made prison beautiful in many ways for me. And that's what love is. Love is beauty. Don't forget that."

Dane walked in silence for a while.

"I don't think she was my Alex," he said thoughtfully.

Piper smiled sadly. What she and Alex had was rare. She didn't want her son to set those kind of standards for every relationship.

"Love isn't the same for everyone, Dane."

"You and mom," he started. "You guys set the bar high."

"Your mom and I…it was hard won."

"But it's been worth it?"

"Absolutely," Piper said, smiling at the thought of her wife.

"I think if I would have felt it was worth it with Cara, I'd have fought for her."

Piper wrapped an arm around his waist as his shoulders were too high for her reach anymore. They walked the rest of the park in silence before heading home.

"Hey Ma," he said as they approached their building.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Thanks."

Piper looked up into his face. It always surprised her how grown up he looked. The one thing that never changed, however, was the innocence in his big blue eyes. It killed Piper a little to see that there was still pain behind those eyes.

 **[The Next Afternoon]**

Alex was alone in the apartment for once. Piper had been called into the PoPi offices to deal with a backorder situation and Dane had gone to meet some friends in Manhattan. Still the dark-haired woman was at a loss for what to do. They didn't have any pets that needed walks. Piper had already done all the cleaning as she couldn't sit still. There were no pressing tasks to complete for the book store.

After pacing through the apartment for a third time, Alex finally settled on reading one of the new books Dane had brought home. It was supposed to be her lazy Sunday, after all.

By the time a key finally turned in the front door's lock, Alex had managed to get through half the book. Dane came through the door and tossed his jacket on the rack.

"Hey," she said, tossing the book aside.

"Hey," he replied.

The teen plopped himself on the opposite end of the couch, tossing his phone down between them.

"I'm starving."

"You didn't eat downtown?" Alex asked.

Dane shook his head. "Nobody could agree on anything. Did you eat?"

"I got caught up reading."

The flash of Dane's phone caught her eye. By way of reflex, Alex's gaze drifted to the text on the screen. It was a picture from Cara. The photo looked as if it was of a box filled with old football t-shirts and other items. The text below it read, "Do you want anything from this box? If not, I'm getting rid of it."

Alex's gaze flitted up to her son's face, and she saw a wave of pain wash over it before he composed himself.

"You wanna to go to the bar and get some food?" she asked.

Dane nodded and stood, leaving the phone behind. Alex followed him out the door and down to the street where they caught a cab. They didn't speak the whole way, but Alex stole glances at the teen throughout the entire ride.

 **[At Nicky's Bar]**

It was a Sunday afternoon, but the place was buzzing. Boo was busy checking IDs and harassing the obviously-straight women, so Alex and Dane walked right past her. Little crowds of locals and a few far-venturing tourists were sprinkled throughout the place. Nicky was helping one such group but called the mother and son duo over as soon as she saw them.

"If it isn't my two favorite Big Friendly Giants," she crowed. "Move over, pal."

She made a "move it down the line" gesture to the patron in front of her. The shocked man finally scooted over a stool, allowing Dane and Alex to sit side-by-side at the bar.

"What can I get you? Or did you just come here to check me out?" Nicky joked, waggling her eyebrows at Alex.

"I'm just going to have a beer, but get the kid whatever he wants."

Nicky turning an asking gaze on Dane.

"Powers neat, Nick. Thanks."

"You're a little too practiced with that order," Alex scolded.

Nicky and Dane exchanged winks, and the wild-haired woman began working on their order. Alex focused in on her son.

"How're you holding up? All joking aside."

Dane opened his mouth to speak, but he noticed a pretty brunette standing behind their stools. He was not in the mood for flirting and smiled dispassionately at her in hopes that she would go away. The young woman smiled back pleasantly at him before squeezing herself in between Dane and his mother.

"Can I get your next drink?" the twenty-something purred at Alex.

The teen's mouth dropped open. This girl was a couple decades too young to be interested in his mother. Dane watched in awe as Alex politely but firmly told the girl, "No thanks."

When the disappointed beauty left, Alex returned to their conversation as if nothing had happened.

"You were saying?"

Dane's stomach growled, snapping him out of his shock. "Nicky, can we get a couple of the cheeseburger meals, too?"

"Sure thing, kid," Nicky said as she set their respective drinks in front of them - Dane's in a small, discreet to-go cup.

"Make mine a veggie patty," Alex added without meeting either of their gazes.

Nicky cocked an eyebrow at her friend before turning to Dane with a questioning look. The teen rolled his eyes but wore a mischievous grin.

"She and Ma are going meat-free this week."

"What?!" Alex snapped at her smirking friend. "It's only a week, and I promised I would do this one with her."

Nicky and Dane exchanged another look. Suddenly, Nicky made a sound like a cat meowing, and Dane followed it up by doing a whip-cracking sound effect with his mouth.

Alex blinked back at them, unimpressed.

"You get it, Vauseman? Pussy whipped," Nicky laughed.

"Funny. You guys been practicing that long?" Alex asked dryly.

Nicky walked away, still laughing, to put in their food order. Alex turned to her son. The mirth had faded from his eyes, and he staring into his drink.

"Hurts doesn't it?"

Dane nodded and took a drink of his whiskey.

"It always does. Love is pain, kid."

The teen's blue eyes stared at Alex guardedly. She knew he couldn't tell where she was going with this.

"The best kind of love is one that's worth the pain. It would hurt worse for me not to have your mom than to trade our shitty past for an easier one. When you find someone who makes the pain worth it, then it's real. Is she worth the pain you're feeling now?"

"I hope she is to someone someday," he replied slowly. "But no. This pain wasn't worth it."

The teen finished his whiskey and a grin crept across his face.

"You know, yesterday Ma told me love was beauty."

Alex returned his smile. "She would."

They laughed but were interrupted by a woman, perhaps in her early 30s, touching Dane's arm. The sandy-haired boy couldn't help but notice how pretty she was.

"Excuse me," she breathed, "I was wondering…"

Dane batted his blue eyes, knowing his mother was watching behind him. If she could get hit on by someone too young for her, he could flirt with a woman who was too old for him.

"...if I was going to buy your friend a drink," she continued, "What would I get her?"

Dane whirled around in his seat to see his mother hiding a smirk behind her beer.

"My _friend_?" he choked out. "That is my mother!"

The woman quickly excused herself.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked with a laugh.

"I mean, we've been in here less than half an hour and you've been hit on twice. By really hot, younger women," he added. "And you're…"

"Not at all interested," Alex tried to finish.

"I was going to say, 'old.' You're old, Mom."

Alex didn't even try to argue with him. She was no longer a 30-something Betty Page. She was well into her 60s, but even Dane would have to admit she still looked great for her age.

"Don't worry, kid. I still think you're cute, even if none of the women in here do," she joked.

Dane playfully shoved at her, and Alex was happy to see him lighten up. He would be okay. Not right away but soon. She continued to watch him even as he looked away, and she was the first to see his face brighten and his pupils dilate. Alex followed her son's gaze to a pretty girl in the bar's waitress uniform.

"One veggie cheeseburger?"

Alex accepted her order watched the girl swing her strawberry blonde ponytail over her shoulder as she served Dane.

"Enjoy," she said, glancing at him with a blush before she disappeared.

"As long as your mouth is open like that, why don't you try stuffing some food in it?" Alex teased.

Realizing that he had, in fact, been staring, Dane snapped his mouth closed and tossed a french fry at his mother. Nicky reappeared from the back and leaned on the bar in front of them.

"Hey, who's the cute new redhead?" Alex asked her friend.

"Why, Vauseman? You looking to trade Piper in for a newer model?"

Alex rolled her eyes and gestured her head toward Dane, who was pretending to be far too focused on his cheeseburger to pay attention to them.

"OH!" Nicky said, catching on. "That's Red's granddaughter. I promised her that I would give the girl a job. She's a minor though, ya know? All I can let her do is serve the food."

"Just a minor, huh?" Alex asked in a way that hinted for Nicky to direct her answer toward Dane.

"Yeah, she, uh, just turned 17."

"Does she live around here?" Dane asked casually.

"She lives over in Sunnyside."

"Queens isn't a bad commute," Alex offered. "Does she have a name?"

"Galina. Poor kid's named after Red. You want her social security number, too, huh?" Nicky quipped.

Dane, again playing casual, asked, "Does her boyfriend ever come in?"

Nicky couldn't hide her smile.

"I don't think she's got a boyfriend, kid. Why? You looking to fill the role?"

"What? No. I was just-."

"-hoping I would give her your number. Don't worry. I got it covered," Nicky said, walking toward the back.

"Nicky, no. Wait!" Dane called in vain.

The wild-haired woman had already disappeared into the back room.

Dane turned to his mother.

"We need to go," he said quickly.

"But we just go our food."

"I would like to go now, please," the boy interrupted with a nervous glance toward the swinging door to the back.

Alex laughed and threw down some money for their tab. She followed her son as he quickly exited the bar.

 **[Back in the Apartment]**

"Where've you two been?" Piper asked after kissing them both on the cheek.

"Dinner at the bar," Alex replied, still holding her wife.

"Alex," Piper drawled. "Baby, you promised me you'd do this with me."

With a groan of annoyance, Alex dropped her hands from around the blonde.

"I swear I didn't eat meat."

"Since when does Nicky's place have vegetarian options?"

"I don't know, but that's what I had."

"It's true. I can vouch for her," Dane said, walking past them in search of his phone on the couch. "You know what else I can also vouch for, Ma?"

Piper looked at him expectantly.

"That your wife's still got it. She got hit on not once, but twice during dinner, and then again while we waited for our cab."

Alex saw jealousy dance behind Piper's eyes as she replied, "Did she now?"

"Best shutdowns I've ever seen," Dane laughed.

Alex almost sighed with relief when the jealousy drained from Piper's eyes and the warmth returned. The blonde reached up and kissed her soundly, and the women were too busy to see Dane smiling at his phone.

In the time he had been away from it, he missed several texts from his friends and a call from Larry, but those weren't what had him grinning. The three texts from an unknown number were the cause of that.

(Unknown Number - 7:31 pm): Hey, this is Gal Reznikov.

(Unknown Number- 7:31 pm): From the bar.

(Unknown Number - 7:34 pm ): Nicky said I should text you?

Alex caught Dane at the end of the moment and thrust her chin in the teen's direction. Piper's gaze followed.

"New girl," Alex whispered to her. "I'll fill you in later."

The sandy-haired teen's eyes were alight when he faced them.

"Beauty," he addressed Piper. "Pain," that time at Alex. He bowed with a melodramatic flourish before adding, " _Bonne nuit_."

The two women watched their son exit for his room, all the while typing out a message on his phone and grinning.

When he'd shut his door behind him, Piper's blue eyes zeroed in on Alex.

"So, three women in one night, huh?" she challenged.

"What can I say? I still got a few tricks up my sleeve."

Piper went to hit her playfully, but Alex caught her wife's wrist and pulled her in for a kiss that was the perfect blend of beauty and pain.


	13. Chapter 13

*****A/N: This story continues to be fun to write, and as always, I sincerely appreciate everyone's reviews and feedback. That being said, it's time for a confession. As a screenwriter, I'm working on a spec script for OITNB and was using this story to practice characterizations. So can I ask a favor? If any of the characters don't seem almost exactly like they are in the show, please PM me with critiques. You'd really be doing me a huge favor. Thanks for reading!*****

Piper was hard at work in the kitchen. She had invited Nicky and Lorna over for dinner, and with Alex at the bookstore, she was falling behind on preparations. Still, somehow all her worry washed away when Dane walked in and dropped his baseball bag next to the door.

"Hey, Ma," he said wearing that charming grin she loved.

He crossed over to steal a carrot from the veggie tray she'd been putting together, but when he tried to slip away, Piper wrapped her arms around him and held tight. Recently, and more often than she would like to admit, she'd been plagued with thoughts of Dane leaving for college in a year.

Her sweet boy would be gone from the house, and when Alex wasn't around, there would be no one to give her a fix when her affection addiction flared.

"I wouldn't get too close if I were you," he warned. "Chris was late to practice today, so we spent the whole time running wind sprints. I smell like a wet dog that ran through dumpster sludge."

Piper laughed but nestled closer, and Dane wrapped his strong arms around her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I just missed you," she replied, finally letting him go. "How was your day?"

"Great actually! I've got a date," he beamed and grabbed another carrot.

"What?! With who?"

Piper started on the lasagna, and without her having to ask, Dane began to cut and arrange the other vegetables on the tray.

"Her name's Galina Reznikov. I'd tell you all about her, but I assume Mom already did," Dane winked.

Piper bumped her hip playfully against her son's.

"Well, look at you! You were single for what? A week?"

"I'm still single, Ma," he drawled, rolling his eyes. "We haven't even had a real date yet. We've just been texting, but it's weird. She feels..."

"Inevitable to you?"

Piper could see Dane testing the word in his mind. Her son took a deep breath and shrugged in resignation.

"Like I said, it's weird."

"It's less weird than you might think. Where is this first date happening?"

"It's just dinner at her family's restaurant," he said casually.

Unfortunately for Dane, he had inherited his mother's habit of broadcasting his emotions over his face for the whole world to see. Piper could tell he was nervous, and she tried to lighten his mood.

"Well, if she's anything like her grandmother, don't insult the food. No matter how awful it is," Piper advised.

Dane shook his head and laughed. "I think we can all be grateful we don't turn into our grandmothers, huh?"

Piper tried to imagine her cheerful boy, with his warm eyes and inviting smile, if he was as cold and pretentious as Carol. It was so impossible that the image wouldn't register in her mind. She laughed with him.

"You would look _terrible_ in all her designer pant suits."

"Are you body shaming me, Mother?" He asked melodramatically.

Piper shrugged back, keeping up the game. Dane finished the vegetable tray.

" _Voila_ ," he said with a flourish as he settled the last piece of celery into place. "Now, I need to take this hideous body of mine and get it in the shower. Wouldn't want to be late. I hear Russians are extremely unforgiving."

"Rule #1, babe, if you keep a girl waiting on the first date, it doesn't matter if she's Russian, Irish, Italian, or any other nationality. She's going to want to kill you."

"Noted," Dane said with a salute.

Piper loved their playful banter. It was another thing she'd miss when he left. With a sigh, she set back to work on the meal in hopes of distracting her thoughts.

 **[That Evening]**

Dane checked his reflection in the window of a car parked on the curb. After making a few last-minute adjustments to his hair and clothes, he checked his watch. He was a couple minutes early to the restaurant but decided to go in anyway.

"Dane!" He heard a voice calling to him as soon as he stepped through the door.

His stomach flipped when he realized it was Galina. She was already seated at a table in the back, but when Dane approached she stood and kissed him on the cheek. He swallowed hard.

"Have you been waiting long?"

"I don't think it's fair to call it waiting. I'm always here when I'm not at Nicky's."

Dane waited for her to sit and followed suit. They exchanged a shy smile.

"So, Galina," he began.

"You can just call me Gal. Galina is...a mouthful," she chuckled.

"You're named after your grandmother, right?"

She nodded.

"That's funny. So am I."

Gal gave him a questioning look, and he laughed.

"Her name was Diane. The moms got creative when they found out I was a boy."

"Do you see her often?" Gal asked.

"No, she died long before I was born. From what I've been told, we would have really gotten along. Do you see your grandmother often?"

"Occasionally we drive up there. Not as often as I'd like."

Dane nodded and almost mechanically reached out to place his hand over hers in a comforting gesture. He watched her gray eyes take in the sight. Realizing that he may be moving a bit fast, he quickly pulled his hand back and picked up the menu.

"So, how's the piroshki?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Hearty. Aren't you a training athlete?"

Her mischievous smile sucked him in, but he kept up the banter.

"I'm a starving athlete right now," he retorted.

"I bet you're one of those tri-sport boys with an obscene amount of sportswear and hardly any free time," Gal joked.

"I'll have you know that I only play two sports: football and baseball. I never saw the point in spending the whole year on a court or field. Plus, I'm shit at basketball. As for my sportwear, I think I own the correct amount. Maybe one too many athletic cups, though."

Gal laughed.

"What? You can never be too safe when it comes to that stuff," he said in mock defense.

The strawberry blonde laughed harder, and Dane found himself caught up in her smile. He leaned closer to her over the table flirtatiously.

"And I always make time for the important people in my life," he added in a husky voice.

Gal leaned closer to Dane across the table. Dane smirked when her gaze fell to his lips. He was just about to close the distance between them when one of Gal's older brothers slammed two glasses of water in between them, causing the pair to jump apart.

"What can I get you?" the young man asked pointedly.

Dane gestured for Gal to go first and she ordered the piroski, making him smile yet again. He told the older boy that he'd have the same.

Over the next few hours, Gal and Dane chatted easily and enjoyed their meal. Gal's brother even laughed at a few of Dane's jokes and brought them complimentary vatrushka with peach purée for dessert.

"Our grandmother's specialty," he informed Dane before returning to the kitchen.

Gal stared open-mouthed at the dessert.

"What?" Dane asked in confusion.

"He's the only one who has Babushka's recipe, and he does _not_ make it for just anyone."

Gal shook her head slowly in amazement before meeting his gaze.

Dane found himself completely blown away by the strawberry blonde. She was gorgeous, sure, but it was her wit, the love in her voice when she talked about her family, the way she asked him questions and then fixed him with her piercing gray eyes while she listened to his answers that had him falling in love.

 _Love?_ he thought nervously.

It was a little early to let himself think that way. Still, if she kept smiling at him the way that she was then, it wouldn't be long before he voiced the word.

At the end of the night, Dane walked Gal the few blocks to her family's apartment. They kept pace with one another in comfortable silence, and when Dane reached over and intertwined their fingers, Gal didn't pull away. In fact, she seemed to lean into him as they walked.

When they reached Gal's stoop, he reluctantly released her hand and ran one of his through his hair.

"Tonight was…" he drifted off, letting his hand fall. A writer at a loss for words.

"I really like you, Dane," Gal confessed earnestly before taking a step toward him.

Dane brushed the stray hairs that had fallen from her up-do behind her ear and cupped her face in his hands.

"I really like you, too."

He stepped even closer and planted a soft, asking kiss on her lips. When he felt her hands wrap tightly around his waist, he deepened the kiss and she moaned softly into his mouth. Dane knew he should end their embrace before they took it too far.

When they finally pulled apart, Gal smiled up at him.

"I'd like do this again," she said.

Dane knew what she meant. But with a mischievous grin, he bent and kissed her passionately once more, leaving them both breathless.

"I _meant_ I'd like to go out again, but I'm willing to forgive your mistake," she panted.

The sandy-haired boy laughed.

"How do you feel about dancing? And formal attire? In general, what are your thoughts on prom?"

"Are you asking me to yours?" She said, running her hands up and down his back.

"What do you say? I know this isn't exactly an Internet-worthy promposal, but," he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I'd be happy to make it up to you."

He felt her shiver in his arms, but before he could kiss her again, the window above them opened and a middle-aged woman stuck her head out.

"It's time to come in now, Galina."

"My mom," the girl whispered.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Reznikov," Dane called up as he put space between himself and the woman's daughter.

"You too, sweetie, but it's time to call it a night," the woman replied.

Gal reached up and planted a quick kiss on his cheek before running into her building. Dane stayed in place on their stoop, wearing a goofy grin. It wasn't long before the girl appeared in the window above.

"I'd be honored to be your date to prom, Mr. Vauseman," she called down dramatically.

"Is now when I'm supposed to quote _Romeo and Juliet_? 'Parting is such sweet sorrow' and all that?"

Gal laughed and shooed him away.

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

Gal shooed him off again, but not before she nodded emphatically. Dane winked under the streetlight and let his feet carry him home.

 **[Back in the Apartment]**

Piper, her wife, and their friends were chatting at the dinner table over some wine when Dane walked in. From the look on her son's face, things had gone well. She felt Alex nudge her under the table, and she turned to find the dark-haired woman waggling her eyebrows at her.

"Well?," Nicky spoke first, "We're all dying to know how it went."

"Wait, I know that look," Alex chimed in. "Just _how_ well did this date go, kid?"

Nicky caught onto the joke and wolf whistled. Piper could tell her son was playing it cool when he shrugged and joined them at the table.

"Hey, Piper, the kid has the same look you always had after this one," Nicky said, pointing at Alex, "'comforted' you. Remember?"

Piper gasped in embarrassment, and Alex flicked a leftover slice of bell pepper at their auburn-headed friend.

"Wow, she must be something special, hon," Lorna added with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah she's," he paused and grinned at his mothers, "beauty and pain."

Nicky and Lorna exchanged a confused glance, but the Vauseman trio was too busy basking in the warmth of their shared knowledge.


	14. Chapter 14

*****A/N: Sorry for the delay on this one. I hope it's worth the wait. As always, reviews are always appreciated and I'm happy to take suggestions for stories. Enjoy!*****

Alex and Piper were playfully fighting for counter space in their bathroom. They were running late - as usual - but today's event was not one either of them wanted to miss. Today was their son's high school graduation.

"Vauseman, let's get a move on, huh?" Nicky called from the living room.

She, Lorna, and Gal were all riding with the couple to the graduation venue.

Piper's phone rang, and Alex noticed Carol's name pop up on the Caller ID.

"They're probably already there," Piper sighed, putting the finishes touches on her makeup. "Ready?"

"I don't think so," Alex replied.

Somehow, Piper knew immediately what she meant. The blonde pulled her into a tight embrace, nestling against her neck.

"I don't want him to be grown up."

"Me either," Alex murmured into her wife's hair. "I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love you."

Piper laughed. "I never doubted you."

Alex thought back to that confusing time 18 years prior.

 **[18 Years Earlier]**

Alex pulled Piper to a stop outside the OB-GYN's suite.

"Pipes, I just want to make sure you know what we're up against."

"I'm ready. _We're_ ready," Piper replied confidently.

Alex sighed and pushed her glasses on top of her head.

"It's not about being ready. It's about biology, nature, God, whatever. Look, I just don't want you to be disappointed if it didn't work."

After five blissful years of marriage and a few months of not-so-blissful conversations, Piper had finally convinced Alex that they should bring a child into their lives. Adoption was discussed, but Alex finally declared that if they had to have a child, she wanted it to be a piece of Piper. That was when the hormone injections began.

By now, they had been through several rounds of IVF and money was getting tight. This wasn't necessarily their last shot, but it was getting close.

"I don't think we need to worry. I have a good feeling about today," Piper beamed.

Alex brushed a piece of the blonde's hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek.

"Just promise not to shut me out this time if it doesn't turn out like we want. I'm going through this, too."

Piper nodded solemnly before pulling Alex into the doctor's office. After they had checked in and taken a seat in the waiting area, Piper gripped Alex's hand tightly. The raven-haired woman felt her wife trembling and wrapped a comforting arm around her.

"Vauseman," the nurse called moments later.

While they ran the required tests on Piper, Alex paced the room. What would have been a normal, September afternoon any other time in her life had suddenly become one of the most important moments. Alex quelled her thoughts. It didn't do either of them any good to get their hopes up as it might not turn out as they hoped. Alex had to remember that. For both of them.

When her wife returned and situated herself on the examination table, Alex went to stand by her side. Piper looked so _determined_ to be pregnant that it nearly broke Alex's heart. She stroked the younger woman's back, and the pair silently listened to "Lions and Tigers" by Sleater-Kinney play over the intercom until the doctor finally entered the room.

"And how are my two newest parents-to-be doing today?" the older man asked without looking up from his charts.

Piper squeezed Alex's hand.

"Did you just…?" Alex started.

The doctor looked up in confusion and a blush crept across his cheeks.

"Did Maggie not tell you already? I'm so sorry. That's not how this is normally handled, but I guess congratulations are in order."

"You're sure? I'm really pregnant?" Piper asked guardedly.

"About as sure as we can get. Looks like you're five weeks along."

Alex had forgotten how to breathe. She barely registered Piper's bright smile and happy tears or heard what the doctor was saying as he set up the ultrasound. Everything would change. Soon, she would be partially responsible for the little boy or girl inside her wife. The kid would count on her for more than just survival, and the thought made Alex's throat tight.

 _What if I'm no good at this? I mean, what am I going to be able to teach this kid? How to move large amounts of heroine? How to survive prison?_

"Look Al," Piper breathed, bringing Alex back to the room. "Our baby."

Alex's gaze zeroed in on the tiny black oval on the screen. Their baby. Something awoke inside Alex. She pushed aside her doubts. They didn't fucking matter. Piper and the little bean on the monitor were the only things that mattered, and Alex would be the best she could for both of them.

 **[15 Weeks Later]**

Alex came into the apartment shaking the snow from her hair. She listened for signs of her wife, but the apartment was silent. Keeping her bag with her, Alex padded to their room. She found the blonde asleep, using Alex's pillow as a "little spoon."

Piper's morning sickness had been rough lately, and the darker haired woman knew she was exhausted. She sat carefully on the edge of the bed, brushed her wife's hair back, and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

When the woman didn't stir, Alex moved and planted another soft kiss on her bulging belly. A smile broke across her face when she felt the little creature kick. It was something that had developed over the past week. Whenever Alex was near, the baby would go wild inside Piper.

"The little monster knows what you do to me," Piper had said with a wink.

Piper awoke with a groan, but a smile overtook her sleepy features when she saw Alex.

"I should have known you were here," she yawned, rubbing her hands over her stomach in an attempt to calm the baby.

After a moment, Piper added, "Oh, I have something for you!"

She reached into the nightstand by their bed and pulled out an ultrasound picture. Alex had missed the appointment that day in an effort to bring in more sales at the bookstore. When the baby finally came, they would need the extra money.

"Do you think you could ever love a man?" Piper asked.

Alex cocked an eyebrow mischievously. "I thought that by now it would've been clear that I'm all gay all the time."

"What if I told you we were going to be raising a little man?"

Alex looked closer at the ultrasound image.

"Really?" she asked as her smirk transitioned into a genuine smile.

Piper nodded and placed Alex's hand on her stomach.

"I guess the name Diane is out, huh?" Alex laughed.

"Not necessarily."

"Pipes, I'm all for progressive parenting, but I don't exactly want a 'Boy Named Sue' situation for our kid."

"No, I was thinking we could call him Dane."

"Dane Vauseman," Alex repeated, testing the name. "I kind of love it."

"Dane Pearl Vauseman," Piper joked with a giggle.

Alex snorted and shook her head.

"No. No way. His middle name should come from your side."

"Well, I refuse to call him Dane Carol, Dane Cal, or Dane Daniel."

"Fine," Alex said thoughtfully. "How about...Dane William? For your dad."

"Ugh, that's awful. It sounds like he's some sort of upper class prude."

"Oh, like his mother?" Alex jested, earning her a swat on the arm.

"Eli," Alex blurted suddenly. "Like short for Elizabeth. Babe, I want you two to share a similar middle name."

"Dane Eli Vauseman," Piper said slowly.

The boy kicked then, and the couple shared a smile.

"I guess that settles that," Piper laughed.

"Hey," Alex said, suddenly remembering. "I have something for you, too"

Piper looked up at her expectantly, and Alex pulled a jeweler's box from her bag. She opened it to reveal a silver necklace with a matching pendant in the shape of long, swooping lines. On either side of the pendant were small, but tasteful, emeralds.

"The emeralds are his birthstone, or they will be if the little monster doesn't come early."

"And what are the lines?"

"It's a soundwave necklace," Alex explained. "The lines are from a clip of 'Lions and Tigers.' Remember how it was playing when we first found out about him?"

Alex grabbed her phone from her bag and pulled up an app. She held the phone's camera over the pendant, and it played a short piece of the song.

 _"I'll be there if you call."_

"It's for you and him," Alex murmured, placing her hand back on Piper's stomach. "I wanted you to know - wanted you _both_ to know - that I'll always be here when you need me. It's no non-birthday mix list, but ya know…"

When Alex shifted her gaze from her wife's stomach to her face to gauge her reaction to the gift, she noticed the blonde was crying.

"I love it so much, Al," Piper sobbed.

Alex laughed shyly, brushed the tears off the other woman's cheeks, and kissed her.

"Dane, you have no idea how lucky we are to have your mommy," Piper said to her stomach when they finally broke apart.

Alex scrunched her nose.

"What?" Piper pressed.

"I don't know if I'm a 'Mommy.'"

"Well, he's got to have something to differentiate us."

"You're definitely a 'Mama,'" Alex retorted. "I think I could pull off 'Mom.'"

Piper shook her head with a smile before addressing her stomach again.

"Have we confused you yet, little man?"

"Nah, he'll be fine. He'll be smart like his Mama. Right, kid?"

As if on cue, the baby boy kicked again. Alex grinned and Piper rolled her eyes.

"You're already his favorite," she said with a pretend pout.

 **[21 Weeks Later]**

Alex was woken up by her wife shaking her roughly.

"Al? _Alex!_ Wake up. My water just broke."

Alex reached for her glasses on the nightstand and saw the time. It was exactly midnight on their son's due date.

 _Punctual little fucker_ , Alex thought grumpily as she climbed out of bed.

There was no rushing around or panicked shouting. She and Piper moved as a team, gathering their prepared items for the hospital. They were ready for this moment. As Alex called a cab, Piper sent out texts to all the important people in their lives.

Soon, they were checked into their room in the maternity ward, and the OB-GYN was examining Piper to determine how dilated she was.

"This boy has no patience," the doctor said.

"He's just like his Mama, then," Alex murmured into her coffee.

"It won't be long before he gets here. I'll be back in just a bit to check on you again. In the meantime, remember to focus on your breathing. Someone will be along shortly to administer the epidural."

As the minutes ticked by, Alex stroked Piper's hair and walked her through the breathing exercises. By the time the doctor returned, it was evident that Dane would not wait any longer to make his appearance in the world.

There had been no time for the anesthesiologist to arrive, and Alex was taut with nerves as she watched Piper struggle through labor. But her wife was strong and brave, and soon, the sound of Dane's screams filled the room.

The nurse quickly took the boy to a nearby station where he was assessed, cleaned, and swaddled. The plump woman then returned the squirming bundle back to Piper's arms.

As soon as she held the infant, Piper burst out in happy, exhausted tears. Alex snuggled into the hospital bed next to her and kissed her fiercely before planting a much gentler kiss on the thin tufts of blonde that covered the baby's head.

When he opened his eyes and Alex saw that they were the same smoky blue as his mother's, she felt her heart surge.

"Do you want to hold him?" Piper asked in a hoarse voice.

Alex nodded and shifted to better accommodate the transfer. She was surprised by how light the boy felt in her arms as she cradled him close.

"Welcome to the world, kid. I can't wait to see how you change it," Alex whispered, her voice breaking with emotion.

 **[Present Day]**

"The kid will be graduating college by the time you two finish if you keep up this pace," Nicky hollered again, bringing Alex out of her memories.

The raven-haired woman smoothed out her dress and did a final check in the full length mirror. She intertwined her hand with Piper's, and together they exited the room to face the day.

And when the moderator said, "Dane Eli Vauseman," and their sandy-headed not-so-little boy crossed the stage, they clung to one another.

After shaking the Dean's hand, Dane glanced up to the stands where his grandparents, his girlfriend, his godparents, and his new coach from Syracuse cheered loudly. His gaze finally found his mothers amidst the group and a smirk broke across his face.

 _Welcome to the world, kid. I can't wait to see how you change it_ , Alex thought with a smile.


	15. Chapter 15

*****A/N: FINALLY! Here's a real update for you all. It's by no means my best chapter, but I wanted to give you something. I've got about two more chapters left in this story, and I promise they'll be much better. Still, reviews are always welcome.*****

Piper strolled past the familiar bodegas and the old cocktail bar on her way home. When it was a nice, spring evening such as this, she often got off the subway a stop early and walked home. As she approached the elderly homeless woman who slept near the entrance to the Duane Reade, her phone rang. Piper quickly handed the woman some cash and juggled her wallet and phone.

"Hello," she said a little breathlessly on one of the last rings.

"Ma, hey!" came Dane's voice across the line.

Piper felt herself smile automatically at the sound of her son's voice. Her not-so-little boy was in his third year at Syracuse, and he was excelling. He was on course to finish his degree program - Public Relations with a minor in Sports Management - early, he had won the Lombardi award this past football season, and he and Gal were nearing their fourth year anniversary. Piper was fairly certain the pair was cohabiting and just hadn't told anyone as Gal's parents were a little more conservative than Piper and Alex.

"Is this a bad time?" Dane added.

"Hey, baby! Not at all. You just caught me on my way home."

"How have you guys been?"

"Good! Your mom and I are leaving tonight for the Hamptons."

"That's right. The weekend trip you were telling me about?" Dane asked.

Piper pressed the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she unlocked the door to the apartment.

"Mhmm. Don't worry. We'll be back before your Spring Break."

Dane had asked to spend the following week off school, practice, and internships with his mothers in the city, and they had been more than thrilled to accept.

Alex must have heard her voice because the raven-haired woman padded into the living room, still wearing her clothes from work.

"Dane," Piper mouthed to her wife before putting the call on speaker.

"Hey, kid," Alex called across the room.

"Hey yourself."

"Staying out of trouble?"

"No way," Dane replied.

Piper and Alex exchanged a smile.

"Well, don't do anything we wouldn't do," Alex added as she headed toward the kitchen to pour two glasses of wine.

"Like get involved with an international drug cartel and wind up in minimum security prison?" he quipped. "No, thanks. Orange has never been my color."

They shared a laugh.

"So anyway," Dane continued, "I just wanted to call and make sure we're still on for next week. I can't wait to see you guys."

"You're welcome anytime, baby. You don't have to call first," Piper said.

"Thanks, Ma. Well, I've got to run and-."

Dane cursed, and it sounded like he dropped the phone. Piper listened to the background noise, and she thought she heard a car horn, Gal's voice, and the echo-y whir that sounded a lot like traffic on the Goethals Bridge before Dane returned.

"Sorry about that. Have fun in the Hamptons. I'll see you next week. Love you both!"

He had disconnected the call before Piper had a chance to reply. Alex approached and handed her one of the wine glasses.

"Are we going to the Hamptons?" she asked.

"It was supposed to be a surprise. I thought we could spend the weekend there."

Alex took her hand, and Piper almost laughed at how, after all these years, her heart still fluttered. Her wife, whose dark hair was now lined with streaks of grey that somehow only made her more attractive, pulled Piper against her on the couch.

"What if I don't want to leave this couch?" Alex asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Then you're going to have to make it a lot more interesting," Piper purred seductively. "I'd planned a couple day hikes and booked sunset dinner on a sailboat for us."

Alex leaned closer, accepting the challenge with a smirk. Piper could feel her heartbeat pick up as her wife placed a lingering kiss on her neck.

"I promise to make it worth your while," she breathed against Piper's tan skin.

Piper leaned back and pulled Alex on top of her, kissing her as they moved. Something banged against their apartment door and the sound of giggles followed. Piper ignored it, thinking it was likely just some of the teenagers that lived in the building.

She hooked her leg around Alex's waist, pulling her closer. Their kiss deepened, and the blonde felt Alex's hands glide under her blouse to cup her breasts. Someone moaned but it sounded like it came from outside the apartment.

Piper and Alex both faltered in their kiss as the door flew open and Dane pushed Gal back against it. Piper and her wife watched motionlessly as the girl leapt up and wrapped her legs around his waist. The sandy-haired young man then slipped his hands under his girlfriend's shirt.

Piper glanced between herself and Alex and their son and his girlfriend. Suddenly, she burst out in laughter at the similarity of the two couples' positions. Her laughter caused Gal's eyes to fly open and Dane to whip around. Piper laughed harder when his tan skin darkened in a blush.

"What are you guys doing here?" he blurted.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Alex retorted, visibly frustrated at having been interrupted.

"Ma said you guys were going to the Hamptons tonight and I just thought…"

"You'd have the place all to yourself?" Alex snapped.

Alex had never dealt well with being interrupted in the throes of passions, so Piper placed a hand gently on her arm to calm her down. The blonde watched as her wife recomposed herself by taking a deep breath and adjusting her glasses.

"Forget it. I didn't mean it. Come in," she said.

Gal cleared her throat and adjusted her shirt.

"I'm just going to grab the bags from the car."

Dane grabbed her hand as she turned away. "I can help you with that."

"No, it's fine."

Piper watched as the redheaded young woman gave Dane a stern look and mouthed, "Deal with this. Go apologize." She smiled, loving that the girl had so much control over her son.

After Gal exited, Dane took a seat in the armchair across from the couch. He ran a hand through his short, mussed hair.

"I'm sorry," he shrugged. "You really made it sound like you'd be gone, and I wanted to start this break right. It's important…I'm...I want to…"

Dane struggled to find his next words, but when the sound of his car beeping to signal that it was locked drifted in through the open window, he snapped into action.

"I'm going to propose to Gal this week," he said quickly. "I wanted to spend some time in the city with her before her parents expect her home, and this was the only chance. I'm sorry. I should have told you."

Piper didn't care about his apology. She was beaming so wide her face hurt.

"I think you broke your mother," Alex laughed, all traces of her previous mood gone. "But seriously, kid, I'm happy for you. We both love Gal."

"When are you going to do it?" Piper added.

"I need to speak with her father and brothers first-."

"That's so old-fashioned of you, Prince Charming," Alex joked.

Piper swatted her arm. "I think it's sweet, and I'm sure her family will appreciate it."

They heard shuffling outside the door.

"Alright enough," Dane whispered nervously. "We'll talk more about it more tomorrow."

"Sure, kid, but you have to take her out for drinks or dinner or something for a few hours."

"What, why?" Dane and Piper exclaimed at the same time.

"Because when I start something, I always finish it," Alex said with a hungry look at Piper.

Dane groaned. "Fine. Jesus, you're like teenagers."

Piper chuckled again at how quickly he and Gal dealt with their luggage and were out the door again, but all mirth left her face when she saw the look her wife was giving her. Suddenly, she was very grateful Alex had demanded the pair stay away for _hours_.

 **[The Next Week]**

Dane paced the length of the hallway impatiently, and Piper could hear his back and forth footsteps.

"We should get going or he's going to wear a hole in our floor," she said to Alex as they stood in front of the bathroom mirror.

Dane had asked them to come with him to pick up the ring from the jeweler. It had been sized and was ready for his proposal in a few hours.

The women quickly finished getting ready and met their son in the living room.

"Finally," he murmured. Then louder, "You guys look great."

"How are you?" Piper asked, reaching up to fix his tie and straighten the lapels on his suit jacket.

Dane swallowed. "I'm fine."

Like Piper, her son wore his emotions on his face for the world to see. In this moment, she knew that he was extremely nervous but trying to put up a brave front.

"It's going to be fine," she kept repeating as they walked to the jeweler.

Every time he would nod and smile politely.

Dane was now taller than Alex, but that didn't stop the darker-haired woman from wrapping her arm around his shoulders. Piper lingered back and grinned at the sight of them together as Alex gave their son a pep talk.

By the time they finally reached the jeweler's, Dane's mood had lightened. He flashed a smile at the older woman behind the counter and handed her his ticket. She returned momentarily holding a small manila envelope and handed it back to Dane.

"Whoever she is, she's a lucky one," the woman said, winking at Dane.

He nodded in gratitude and pulled the black ring box from the envelope. When he cracked the lid, Piper saw the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. It was modest, but it was a perfect visual representation of Gal's personality.

Dane pulled it from the box and held it up for them to examine it closer.

"Do you think she'll like it?" he asked vulnerably.

"You know," Alex began, "your mom proposed to me with a can of beans, and I still said yes, so…"

Piper smacked Alex on the arm, and Dane laughed.

"We should get to the restaurant. Her family will be waiting," he said with a smile.

They decided to catch a cab to the Reznikovs' restaurant in Queens, and in the backseat, Piper turned to Dane.

"Run me through the plan again."

Dane nodded.

"Her brother is going to drop her off for our date. She thinks it's an anniversary throwback to our first date there, so she knows to dress up. You guys will be watching from the kitchen with her family. And depending on how it goes," he stopped to swallow his nerves, "you'll all join us for dinner after."

Alex reached back from her place up front and squeezed Dane's hand, and Piper snapshotted the memory in her mind.

"You got this," the raven-haired woman asserted.

 **[At the Reznikov's Restaurant]**

Piper clutched Alex's hand as they waited with Gal's family in the kitchen. Red's sons passed along news regarding their mother, and the couple asked the men to say hello to Red for them the next time they visited her. The nervous energy in the room was palpable.

Finally, Yury, Gal's oldest brother, entered from the alley door. His presence meant Gal had arrived. Piper stood on her toes to try and see through the small service window but was having difficulties. Luckily, Alex always seemed to know what she needed. The taller woman pulled Piper in front of her and instructed her to stand on Alex's toes. The added height helped Piper see clearly, and she relaxed back against her wife.

Together, they watched as Dane and Gal talked through their first glass of wine. The longer they spoke, the more relaxed Dane appeared. Piper studied them and wondered if the way her son was looking at Gal - like she was simultaneously the most fascinating and the most familiar thing on the planet - was the way she looked at Alex. Piper refocused her attention just in time.

Before Gal could signal for more from her cousin who was on wait staff that evening, Dane got down on one knee in front of her.

From her position, Piper couldn't hear what Dane said to the young woman over the ruckus of the restaurant. She glanced up and could tell that Alex couldn't either, but they watched as Gal processed what was happening before throwing her arms around Dane's neck, kissing him fiercely, and holding out her left hand.

"I guess she said, 'Yes,' huh?" Alex whispered into Piper's hair.

Gal's family was already rushing toward their table and the Vausemans would follow them shortly, but first, Piper wanted to share the moment with her wife. She turned in the salt-and-pepper beauty's arms.

"I cannot wait to start wedding planning. Gal would look amazing in a cream-colored mermaid dress, don't you think? And the bridesmaids and groomsmen should wear blue to bring out both hers and Dane's eyes."

"Pipes," Alex tried.

"And then they'll want to have the wedding in the city, of course. So we'll need to start looking at venues. But what if they want to have it at the Hamptons house? I doubt anyone would mind. And- "

Before Piper could continue rambling, Alex shut her up with a solid kiss.

"Now," the other woman rasped, "let's go celebrate the moment before we start all this planning, which by the way, sounds like it's going to be expensive and give me many headaches."

Piper smiled and allowed Alex to pull her toward the table. "I promise it will be _very_ expensive and give you _so_ many headaches."

"Can't wait," Alex mumbled with a smirk as they reached Dane and their sandy-headed son pulled them into a tight hug.


	16. Chapter 16

*****A/N: Wow. That was the longest delay of a chapter ever. Thank you all for sticking with this story! I have one more (long) chapter after this one, and then we'll have reached the end. As always, reviews are welcome and appreciated. Merry Christmas!*****

Piper felt like she hadn't sat down in the year since Dane and Gal's engagement. She and the red-headed young woman had been planning and organizing nonstop. The venue was booked, the bridal party's attire was purchased and fitted, the cake was selected, and the invitations were sent.

In short, all the major details were covered. The couple had graduated a few weeks ago, and the wedding was less than a month away. As Piper collapsed into the couch, she was hoping to finally catch her breath. There was just one problem: The air conditioning in the building had gone out earlier in the day, and the window unit hadn't worked since Dane was little.

The New York summer heat was making the air in the apartment oppressive. By the time Alex came home, Piper had resorted to wedging herself as far into the refrigerator as she would fit.

"That's not exactly eco-friendly of you, Pipes," Alex commented as she tossed her things down.

"It's so fucking hot," Piper gasped.

Before Alex could issue a clever comeback, Dane came through the door with Gal in tow.

"Are we interrupting something?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Piper sighed in frustration and shut the refrigerator door with a little too much force. Alex bit back a smile.

"You know how your Mom gets in the heat."

Gal shrugged out of her light wrap.

"It really is sweltering in here. I mean, we saw the sign about the air conditioner being broken on our way up, but this is unbelievable."

Piper watched in amusement as her future daughter-in-law nudged Dane and pointedly glanced at the window unit.

"That hasn't worked in years," he whispered back.

Gal raised an eyebrow and gave her fiance a stern look. Piper's foul mood lightened as she watched her son sigh in defeat.

"Where are the tools?" he asked Alex. "Maybe I could fix the window unit."

 **[A Few Hours Later]**

Dane lifted the hem of his shirt to wipe away the fresh layer of sweat on his face. After watching several YouTube tutorials, the young man felt confident enough to fix the appliance, but it was a much slower-going process than the videos originally suggested.

Piper came in from where she, Gal, and Alex were sitting on the balcony to bring her son one of their cold beers.

"Thanks for doing this, baby."

"This isn't exactly how I imagined spending my Saturday afternoon. Goddamn air conditioner," he grumbled, smacking the machine with his wrench. "A guy can't even come by his mothers' to pick up some mail without being recruited for manual labor!"

Piper caught onto his teasing. Just like that, her son's sunny disposition was back. It was one of the things she loved most about him.

"Mail? What mail do you have that comes here?"

Dane finished tightening the freshly cleaned compressor back in the unit before setting the tools aside for a moment.

"I need you to keep calm about this until I actually open the letter, but before Gal and I signed on our place, I applied to several law schools. I needed a permanent address where they could send the rejection letters," he joked.

Piper was stunned. This was the first she was hearing about Dane's interest in pursuing law.

"Law school?"

"That's right," Dane replied nonchalantly before returning to work on the window unit.

"What about your internship with the Yankees?" Piper asked, still trying to catch up with her racing thoughts.

Dane shrugged.

"The Yankees will always be there, but I think I can do more as a Prisoners' Rights Attorney. Imagine how much better things could have been for you and Ma on the inside if you had someone dedicated to making sure you were treated with respect. I want to be able to make someone's sentence a little more about rehabilitation and a little less about over-the-top punishment."

Piper watched in silence as Dane plugged in the window unit and flipped the switch. After a few sputters, the appliance came to life, pouring deliciously chilled air into the apartment.

"I'm so proud of you," Piper finally managed.

"It's just an air conditioner, Mom."

Piper shook her head but didn't bother correcting her son. She didn't want to embarrass him, but he would never know how proud he made her. Fortunately, Alex and Gal came back in from the balcony before she could get too wrapped up in her emotions.

"You got it to work!" Gal exclaimed proudly. "See, I knew you could do it...once you stopped complaining about it"

"I'll admit, I had my doubts, kid," Alex added with a wink.

While Gal and Alex took turns playfully roasting Dane, Piper sifted through the stack of mail she had brought in earlier that day. She found three letters addressed to Dane and carried them across the room to him.

Gal, always quick to pick up on things, swallowed nervously. She gripped Dane's arm in support as he accepted the stack.

"Well," she started, "open them and let's see."

"Is this about the law school thing?" Alex asked. When Piper gave her a questioning look, she added, "Gal filled me in while we were outside."

Piper just squeezed her wife's hand for assurance as Dane tore open the first envelope. She held her breath as she watched his blue eyes scan the page.

"I didn't get into Columbia," he said flatly.

"Open the other one," Gal urged, rubbing up and down his arm.

Dane did as he was told, and a heavy silence fell upon the room once more as he read. He finally glanced up. For a moment, his face revealed nothing, but it wasn't long before his megawatt smile broke out.

"I start at NYU Law in the Fall," he said, beaming.

Piper and Gal squealed and pulled him into a tight embrace. Alex pulled a bottle of wine from the refrigerator and poured everyone a glass.

"Congratulations, Dane," Piper began, raising her glass in a toast. "There are many men and women who will be lucky to have you fighting on their side."

"Couldn't be prouder of you, kid," Alex added.

Gal kissed Dane fiercely, and they all drank.

"Wait," Piper exclaimed when it finally settled down again. "What was the third letter?"

Dane glanced down at the momentarily-forgotten white envelope.

"The return address is from Galina Reznikov at Litchfield Federal Women's Correctional Facility."

"Babushka?" Gal whispered in confusion.

Dane tore open the third envelope and quickly read through it. As he reached the end, an amused smile grew on his lips. He handed the letter over to Piper who read it once silently. The same amused smile appeared on her face.

"Care to share with the class, there, Pipes?"

Piper cleared her throat dramatically and adjusted the letter in front of her as if she were about to recite a Shakespearean monologue.

" _Dear Vauseman_ ," Piper began in a thick, Russian accent. " _I hear you are to marry my favorite grandchild soon. Listen to me now because I do not like to repeat myself. Your mothers have a shitty track record when it comes to relationships, but by whatever miracle they have made theirs work for all these years. I hope you learn from their example. Remember this: Russians don't play baseball. There are no three-strikes when it comes to my Gal. Treat her right. Make her happy. Love her deeply. This is not a request. Red._ "

There was a moment of silence when Piper finished reading and looked up from the page before the four of them burst out in laughter.

"No, don't ever do that again," Alex said, shaking her head and trying to catch her breath.

Piper grinned at Dane as he wiped laugh-tears from his eyes and draped an arm across Gal's shoulders. The redhead was still giggling as she snuggled into his side. All joking aside, Piper knew that Red had nothing to worry about when it came to those two.


	17. Chapter 17

Alex smiled at the sounds of laughter that echoed through the apartment. She carefully balanced the fresh drinks Piper had sent her for and returned to where the others were. Nicky had an arm draped around Lorna's shoulders on the floor while Gal and Piper were sitting shoulder to shoulder on the couch.

Alex handed Nicky a new beer, topped off Piper and Lorna's wine glasses, and handed her daughter-in-law another water bottle before settling in next to her wife. Dane and Gal had been married for three years, and Dane had surprised everyone by finishing law school in two and a half years. When he had secured his first job, they had wasted no time in starting a family.

As Alex watched her largely pregnant daughter-in-law struggle to find a comfortable resting position, she thought of her son who was away upstate on a case.

 _"Ma, will you guys please check on Gal regularly while I'm gone," he'd begged before he left._

 _"Come on, kid. We aren't going to let her fend for herself."_

 _"I wouldn't have even taken this case so close to the due date but…"_

 _"Dane," Alex had said, gripping her son's shoulders, "We'll look out for her. You aren't going to be gone that long, and I'm sure everything will be fine. Just do your job and hurry back."_

Alex hoped she was right. When Gal's due date had come and gone, she and Piper had invited their daughter-in-law to stay with them to keep a better eye on her and make sure she was comfortable.

That was why Nicky and Lorna were there that afternoon. Alex had planned the get together in hopes of distracting the young woman from the discomforts of late-term pregnancy. For the past half hour, they had been flipping through the photo albums Piper insisted on keeping throughout the years, even though Alex had assured her that every photographic memory was saved digitally.

"Oh my God, Al! Do you remember this one?" Piper cooed, handing a picture to Alex.

The raven-haired woman couldn't hold back her own throaty laugh when she saw which one her wife had selected. It was one from Halloween when Dane was six years old. When Alex and Piper had asked him what he'd wanted to be that year, he had replied, "Harrison Ford."

Piper spent several days trying to get Dane to clarify. Did he want to be Han Solo? What about Indiana Jones? But every time either one of them asked, Dane would simply state, "No, just Harrison Ford."

At the end of the week, they sent their son to the school costume party sporting a swooping 70's hairstyle and era-appropriate clothing. Somehow, the kid managed to make his vague costume a hit.

"Oh, shit," Alex laughed again, "How about this one?"

She held up a photo of an 11-year-old Dane who was shouting at the picture taker and trying to hide behind some shrubbery. Piper snorted.

"He never looks mad in any photo I've ever seen of him," Lorna commented. "What happened here?"

"This was one of our trips to the Hamptons," Piper started. "He loved to surf when the conditions were right. That day the waves were bigger than normal and the undertow was strong."

"We warned him not to go out too far," Alex added. "But the family in the house next door had two little girls around Dane's age, and he thought he was being real suave by showing off out in the water."

"Until a wave he couldn't handle knocked him off his board, and the undercurrent swiped his swim trunks right off him."

Alex and Piper shared a laugh before the blonde continued.

"The girls were still watching from the beach, so tried to be discreet in telling us what happened. When we finally realized, I made Alex get the camera instead. He was so mad!"

"He ran bare-assed to the nearest bushes, but I still managed to get this gem."

The group chuckled loudly. When Alex handed the album back to Piper, an old black and white image fell out onto Gal's lap.

"Is this his sonogram?" she asked, cradling the paper.

Piper nodded, and Gal smiled before a far away look overtook her face.

 **Several Weeks Prior**

Gal had never been happier in her life. She was sprawled out on their comfortable couch in their amazing apartment while Dane rubbed her swollen feet with one hand. In his other, he held a 3D ultrasound.

"What about Laura?" Dane said. "That's a sweet girl's name."

"Hmm, I dunno. I think the name should be meaningful to us."

"Well, I dated a Laura once briefly. She was pretty meaningful to me at the time."

Gal prodded her husband with her foot, and he laughed in response.

"Alright, alright. No Laura. So, who are some of the most important people in our lives?"

"Well, your moms," Gal began.

" _Your_ mom, your grandmother, Nicky," Dane listed.

They continued to name people they knew. Finally, Dane snapped his fingers.

"Thoughts on Elizabeth Nicole Vauseman? Elizabeth kind of works for my middle name and my mom's middle name, and obviously Nicky will be thrilled to get a namesake."

Gal rolled the name around in her mind.

"Elizabeth...We can call her Lizzie for short!"

"I like it," Dane agreed.

"Now we just have to think of a name for the second one," Gal said.

Dane glanced back down at the ultrasound and smiled at the other baby's picture.

"We gotta give one of the names to your brother."

"Which one?"

"Mikhail, for sure. He's my favorite brother-in-law, and he's done so much for us. And maybe if we name our son after him, he'll forget about the money he loaned me for law school," Dane said with a smirk.

Gal thought for a moment.

"Okay, so how about...Michael Alexander Vauseman?" she tried.

Dane's eyes lit up.

"Can I call him Mav?"

Gal shook her head and laughed.

"I have a feeling you would do it whether I agree or not," she said through a yawn. "Does this mean we've named our offspring? Can I take a nap now?"

"Sure, baby," Dane laughed affectionately.

"Shit," Gal said, snapping out of her daydream.

"Is everything alright?" Piper asked.

"Either I've just had an accident or my water broke."

Alex glanced down and saw the tell-tale signs of impending childbirth. She sprung into action.

"Nicky, call Dane. Tell him to get his ass back to the city ASAP. Lorna, grab Gal's hospital suitcase from the closet in Dane's old room. Piper, help her get her shoes on and get downstairs. I'll have the car waiting out front."

No one hesitated, and in less than ten minutes, the group was on their way to the hospital. Nicky informed everyone that, in a fortunate turn of events, Dane had already started on his way back from Litchfield that morning. He was a little over an hour away outside Poughkeepsie, and Nicky had told him that they had things under control and to get here safely.

"It'll be alright," Lorna assured Gal. "He'll make it. Love will find a way."

Alex let Waze take her on the fastest route to Maimonides Medical Center, the same hospital where her son had been born roughly 26 years prior. She pulled up outside the emergency room doors and let the group pile out before speeding off to park the car.

When she finally joined them on the birthing ward floor, Gal had already been taken to a room and was being attended to by a nurse.

"Piper's in the room with her," Nicky informed Alex. "Go be with them, granny."

Alex flipped her friend off before locating Gal's room. The whole scene was much calmer than Alex felt. She knew Gal was in good hands, and she and Piper wouldn't leave her side. She also knew it would kill her son if he missed his kids' birth.

"Any word from Dane?" Gal asked through clenched teeth as a contraction overtook her.

"I got a text from him as I was coming in. He's about 45 minutes away, but he thinks he can get here sooner."

At that moment, the OB-GYN entered and did an examination.

"Looks like we're going to be here awhile, Mama," she said, patting Gal's arm, "You're just about three centimeters now."

Gal visibly relaxed. In fact, all three of them did. Maybe Dane would make it after all.

After another two hours of holding Gal's hand through contractions and keeping Piper from pacing herself to death, Alex got a call from Dane. He'd hit traffic, but he was pulling into the hospital now. He asked to speak to his wife, and Alex handed her the phone.

She couldn't hear what her son was saying, but she watched Gal light up at the sound of his voice.

"No, it's okay, baby…. No, of course not….It's not your fault…. I'm glad you're here….Your moms have been great….I love you too."

The redhead handed Alex back her phone just as another contraction hit her. They were getting closer together. By the time Dane came barreling into the room, the doctor was asking Piper and Alex to leave.

It was time.

Alex and Piper clutched each other's hands for what seemed like forever until their son appeared in the waiting room. He looked disheveled, exhausted, and unbelievably happy.

"Would you guys like to meet your grandkids?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

Nicky and Lorna hung back to give the family some privacy as Piper and Alex followed their son into the room. Gal held her son in one arm and her daughter in the other.

"Mom, Ma, this is Elizabeth Nicole Vauseman," Dane said, stroking his daughter's strawberry-blonde tuft.

"Lizzie," Gal whispered.

"Hi, Lizzie," Piper said through her happy tears.

"And this," Dane said, taking the baby boy's tiny hand in between his thumb and index finger, "is Michael Alexander Vauseman. Or Mav, as we plan to call him."

"As _you_ plan to call him," Gal added.

Alex and Piper laughed and watched their son, their baby boy, admire his own children. Dane had brought them such joy and caused them much stress, but every second they had spent as a family had been worth it. They hoped that their son got to experience all of that and more.

 **THE END**

 *****A/N - Well, that's it for this story. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. I'd love to hear your thoughts! On the bright side, I've got another story I'm working on now. I'm calling it** ** _Inevitable: Another Vauseman Story_** **. The first chapter will be up in the next few days, so keep an eye out for it.*****


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